Sign up to FREE email alerts from Mirror - Arsenal FC Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Arsenal could offer a permanent deal to Chilean midfielder Marcelo Allende after he turned 18 on Friday.

Allende has had two trials at Arsenal so far this year but FIFA rules meant they were unable to offer him a deal until his birthday.

The young midfielder is currently playing for Deportes Santa Cruz in Chile, but the Gunners look set to bring him over during the summer.

Allende, who can play on either wing or behind the striker, began his career at Cobreola's academy, which has produced some of the country's biggest players.

Charles Aranguiz (Bayer Leverkusen) and Eduardo Vargas (former Hoffenheim, Napoli, Valencia and QPR) both started at the Santiago academy while Arsenal's own Alexis Sanchez played for Cobreola before his move to Udinese in 2006.

(Image: Arsenal FC)

His performances for Cobreola's 's youth sides saw him named captain of Chile's squad for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2015. He scored twice in four games before Chile were knocked out by a Nigeria side featuring Arsenal youngster Kelechi Nwakali.

Allende was hoping to break into Cobreola's first team in 2015/16 but the club were forced to sell him due to ongoing financial problems.

Segunda Division (third tier) side Santa Cruz snapped him up last year and added him to their first team squad.