Arsenal agree to sign twins from Piero Hincapié’s old club – sources

LONDON, England – Arsenal have reached an agreement in principle to sign highly rated Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero from Independiente del Valle when the pair turn 18 in August 2027, sources told ESPN. The 16-year-old attackers are currently in London to complete preliminary steps ahead of formal contracts being signed at a later date. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The move extends Arsenal’s ongoing strategy of investing in elite emerging talent. It follows the confirmation in October that 16-year-old Victor Ozhianvuna will join from Shamrock Rovers in January 2027. Arsenal has beaten competition from several leading European clubs to secure the Quintero twins, who have been tracked for more than a year.

Independiente del Valle continue to establish themselves as one of South America’s most productive talent pathways. The Ecuadorian club have previously developed Premier League players Moisés Caicedo and Piero Hincapié, the latter joining Arsenal from Bayer Leverkusen in September on an initial season-long loan with an option to buy. Chelsea have also agreed deals for Independiente youngsters Kendry Páez and Deinner Ordoñez.

Edwin Quintero is a right winger with notable acceleration and one-on-one ability, while Holger is regarded as an offensive midfielder with strong technical qualities. Both are considered among Ecuador’s most promising young prospects.

Arsenal view the agreements as a significant success for their academy recruitment program. A key factor in the negotiations, sources said, was the club’s ability to showcase a clear pathway to first-team football. The rapid recent progress of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman was cited as evidence of opportunities available to academy graduates.

Dowman, who turns 16 in December, signed a scholarship in October and has already debuted in both the Premier League and Champions League this season. His appearance against Slavia Prague last month made him the youngest player to feature in the competition.

The signings are expected to add further depth to Arsenal’s long-term project of assembling a core of young talent capable of integrating into Mikel Arteta’s senior squad over the coming seasons.