Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has been playing as a number 9 in training sessions, according to Football.London.
Football.London are reporting today that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been using Martinelli as a number 9 in training sessions at London Colney.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left Arsenal and joined Barcelona on a free in the January transfer window.
Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are the two senior strikers at Arteta’s disposal at the moment.
Nketiah has not really done much of note in the Premier League, while Lacazette does miss chances like he did on Thursday evening and is perhaps best as a ‘second striker’.
Interestingly, both Lacazette and Nketiah are out of contract at Arsenal at the end of the season.
Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli could flourish at no. 9
In our view, Martinelli could star for Arsenal in the no. 9 role.
The 20-year-old Brazilian forward has been playing out wide, and we can see how good he is with his finishing.
The Arsenal no. 35 has scored four goals and provided two assists in 11 Premier League starts so far this season.
Now, of course, we cannot expect Martinelli to become an overnight success at no. 9.
We have to give the forward time to develop and progress in that role.
And – perhaps this is more important than anything else – Arteta will have to persevere with Martinelli as a number 9 even if he has one or two bad games in that position.
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