Arsenal’s search for a new attacking option has taken a fresh turn, with Igor Paixão emerging as one of the names Mikel Arteta’s camp is actively exploring before the transfer window shuts. The Brazilian winger, currently at Marseille, is no stranger to Arsenal’s radar. Arteta has followed him for years, going back to his days at Feyenoord, and that long-running interest is now colliding with circumstances at the Emirates that make a move genuinely plausible.
Here is everything currently known about the Igor Paixão to Arsenal talk, including the fee being discussed, where he would fit into Arteta’s setup, and how the story has developed in recent hours.
Why Arsenal Are Circling Paixão Now
The timing isn’t random. Gabriel Martinelli is edging toward an exit, with Al-Hilal reportedly closing in on a deal worth over £51 million that would take the Brazilian to Saudi Arabia ahead of their season opener against Al-Ahli. If that departure goes through, Arsenal lose one of their senior wide options just as the window is closing, and Arteta has already lost Leandro Trossard to Beşiktaş this summer.
Arsenal have moved to bring in Christos Tzolis as one replacement, but a Martinelli sale would still leave a gap on the left flank. That’s where Paixão comes in. According to transfer insider “Franchise,” Arsenal have made a direct enquiry for the winger, and the framing from those close to the story is clear: this isn’t a fallback plan tied to any other deal. Arsenal are said to be working on Paixão’s situation and their pursuit of Julián Álvarez at the same time, which says a lot about how busy the closing days of the window have become at the Emirates.
Player Profile: Who Is Igor Paixão?
Igor Paixão, born on 28 June 2000, is a right-footed left winger, exactly the profile sporting director Andrea Berta is said to be targeting. He began his career at Coritiba in Brazil before a loan spell at Londrina sharpened his game. Feyenoord signed him in August 2022, and over three seasons in Rotterdam he made 129 appearances, scoring 39 goals and setting up 29 more, helping the Dutch club to Eredivisie, KNVB Cup, and Dutch Super Cup honours along the way.
His form at De Kuip caught the eye of several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, before Marseille won the race for his signature in August 2025 with a club-record deal worth around €30 million, edging out a late push from Leeds United. Since arriving in Ligue 1, Paixão has continued to deliver, contributing 12 goals and seven assists across all competitions in his first season, and he was among Marseille’s standout performers again in the early weeks of the new campaign, including a strong showing in their 4-0 opening-day win over Strasbourg.
The Fee: What Would It Take to Sign Him?
Figures around a possible transfer have varied depending on the source and the moment. Reports from earlier in the year suggested Arsenal were preparing an offer in the region of €35 million plus add-ons, while more recent reporting from France puts Marseille’s asking price closer to €40 million, with some outlets floating a figure as high as €60 million given the player’s rising value.
For context, Marseille paid roughly €30 million to sign Paixão from Feyenoord just over a year ago, and his current Transfermarkt valuation sits around €33-35 million. A fee in the region of €34-40 million would represent a healthy profit for Marseille, and it’s understood the French club, who are under financial pressure after being sanctioned by French football’s DNCG watchdog alongside Lyon, would find it difficult to turn down an offer of that size if it materialises before the deadline.
Paixão is contracted to Marseille until June 2030, so there is no urgency on the French side to sell purely for contract reasons. Any deal would come down to whether Arsenal table an offer Marseille consider worth accepting under their current financial constraints.
Competition for His Signature
Arsenal are not the only club in the conversation. AC Milan and Aston Villa have also been credited with interest, and Liverpool were strongly linked with Paixão earlier in the year as they searched for attacking reinforcements following Mohamed Salah’s announcement that he would leave the club. Tottenham, West Ham, and Roma have all been mentioned as admirers at various points too, a reflection of how highly rated Paixão has become since his breakout Feyenoord seasons.
Even so, reports suggest that if Arsenal formalise their interest, Paixão would view them as his top choice, largely down to Arteta’s long-standing admiration for the player and the pull of Champions League football at the Emirates.
Where Would He Fit Under Arteta?
Paixão is comfortable across the front three but has made his name as an inverted left winger who cuts inside onto his stronger right foot, a mirror of the role Martinelli currently occupies for Arsenal. His dribbling, direct running, and end product have been consistent features of his game in both the Eredivisie and Ligue 1, and Arteta is understood to value his versatility and physical intensity out of possession as much as his attacking numbers.
If Martinelli does complete his move to Saudi Arabia, Arsenal would need a like-for-like replacement capable of stepping straight into a title-chasing squad, and Paixão’s profile lines up closely with what Arteta has prioritised in recent transfer windows: pace, directness, and a willingness to press from the front.
Nothing is confirmed yet, and Arsenal’s enquiry is understood to be an early step rather than a done deal. Much will depend on how quickly Martinelli’s exit is finalised, whether Marseille are willing to negotiate down from their asking price, and how the closing days of the window unfold given Arsenal’s parallel pursuit of Julián Álvarez. For now, Igor Paixão remains one of the most closely watched names in Arsenal’s transfer conversation, and updates are expected to move quickly as the deadline approaches.
