Arsenal youngster Gabriel Martinelli has been a sensation since joining the Gunners last summer.
Arsenal newcomer Pablo Mari has spoken highly of new Gunners teammate Gabriel Martinelli, describing him as an “incredible talent” set to become a “top player” (Arsenal website).
The 18-year-old, who joined Arsenal from Brazilian side Ituano FC last summer for £6million, has impressed at the Emirates Stadium since his arrival.
With 10 goals and four assists from just 23 Gunners appearances, he has become the first teenage goalscorer to reach double figures for Arsenal since Nicolas Anelka in 1998-99.
Mari, who joined Arsenal on loan from Brazilian giants Flamengo in January, is yet to meet Martinelli but says he will congratulate him for his efforts so far.
“He has exploded on to the scene and is showing that he’s a great player with a lot of talent,” Mari told Arsenal Player. “Obviously he’s still very young, but he’s already had a taste of playing at the top level and he’s doing very well. I’ll say congratulations when I meet him, but now he just needs to keep it up and work hard because he’s really talented.
“Martinelli has shown he is a bit different to any other player in terms of his ability. He has great vision and there’s real talent there in terms of his dribbling and his ability to choose the right play. His decision-making is improving all the time. Martinelli still has a lot more to show but he has incredible talent and I think gradually he’ll keep developing and become a top player.”
Despite having only been at Arsenal for a few months, Martinelli has already been linked with the likes of Real Madrid, as per a report in the Daily Mail from 22 January.
The outlet also claimed that, in response, talks were said to be under way for Arsenal to reward Martinelli – valued by Los Blancos at £50million – with a pay rise from £10,000-per-week to around £30,000-per-week.
Martinelli’s current deal at the Emirates will take him until the summer of 2024 (Transfermarkt).
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