BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN ROSE
Arsenal have announced the signing of 16-year-old twins Edwin and Holger Quintero from Independiente Del Valle in a deal that becomes official when they turn 18 in August 2027.
The brothers were in London earlier this week to complete the formalities of a deal. It was first reported by ESPN.
They aren’t the first players to arrive at Arsenal with links to Independiente; centre-back Piero Hincapié also took the first steps of his career at the Ecuadorian side.
According to ESPN, Arsenal have been tracking the Quintero twins for more than a year.
About Edwin and Holger Quintero
Edwin, a right winger, and Holger, an attacking midfielder, came up through the Independiente del Valle youth system at a young age and progressed quickly up the ranks.
By the age of 14, they had already won the Ecuadorian under-15 championship and even played for the U19 team, despite their young age.
Edwin, the first-born twin, is known for his speed and agility, which allows him to change direction with ease. He is fast over long distances, covering a lot of ground in the opposing half.
Holger, on the other hand, shines for his dribbling and speed, drawing comparisons to Ousmane Dembélé and Neymar.
Both admire Neymar but when asked about the Ecuadorian footballer they admire for his playing style, they answered Kendry Páez.
They haven’t yet debuted with Independiente del Valle’s first team, but they have participated in several national and international tournaments with the youth teams.
They were also part of the Colombian U17 national team in the last South American Championship, where their performance caught the eye of scouts.
Edwin and Holger won’t join Arsenal until they turn 18, in August 2027. A lot can change before then.
Currently, Arsenal’s best academy products are Max Dowman, the star winger who has already featured for the first team at 15, versatile forward Kyran Thompson, plus midfielders Mishel Nduka and Emerson Nwaneri. brother of Ethan.
