Arsenal attacker Gabriel Martinelli has excelled under Mikel Arteta but is now being linked with a shock move to Atletico Madrid this summer.
The Gunners have benefited from a youth movement under Arteta with homegrown talent like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe thriving.
It’s not just Arsenal’s English talent that has been impressing though as Brazilian youngster Martinelli has been outstanding.
Martinelli, 20, has bagged five goals and five assists in 26 Premier League outings this season.
The goals have tried up a little of late; Martinelli hasn’t scored since the 3-2 win over Watford on March 6th.
That isn’t dampening Martinelli’s season though as the winger has made himself an almost nailed-on starter for Arsenal.
The £6million Arsenal paid to sign Martinelli from Ituano in 2019 now looks like an incredible bargain. If Arsenal sold Martinelli now, they would earn huge profit.
There has now been a strange claim about Martinelli’s future with Atletico Madrid believed to be keen.
Portuguese newspaper A Bola claim that Arsenal want to sign Porto winger Pepe because they are ‘on the verge’ of losing Martinelli this summer.
Atletico Madrid are believed to be pushing to sign Martinelli with Diego Simeone seemingly keen to lure him to the Spanish capital.
Atletico may well be keen but Arsenal really don’t seem on the brink of losing the youngster any time soon.
There has been no mention of such a move from any of the usual top Arsenal sources and Atletico’s interest seems to have come from nowhere, never mind being advanced.
Arsenal are in the box seat for Champions League qualification and Martinelli would be mad to leave now.
Backed to become world class by Gary Lineker, Martinelli may fancy a move to Spain one day but he should absolutely stay and continue thriving under Arteta right now.
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