Michael Owen agreed on Premier League Productions that Gabriel Martinelli will feel like a new signing for Arsenal next season.
At the start of the campaign, Arsenal’s Brazilian speedster was returning from injury, and when he was back in December, he struggled to break into Mikel Arteta’s first-team plans.
It has left some Arsenal fans wanting Martinelli to play more, and they got their wish at the weekend, as he assisted during his side’s 2-0 win at Newcastle.
Owen praised Martinelli for the manner in which he assisted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and how Arteta will be looking to ‘build his team’ around youngsters such as the Unai Emery signing.
“They have a lot of good players, don’t they Arsenal,” said Owen. “I like these players (Martinelli) that find half a yard and cross it early (assist v Newcastle), as a centre-forward that’s exactly what you want.
“You see, first time cross, the defence cannot get set. And the goalkeeper cannot get set. He (Martinelli) has played centrally and he knows that what (Aubameyang) prefers as a centre-forward. It was a brilliant ball to round it off.
On whether Martinelli can feel like a new signing next season if he gets fit: “I think so,” said Owen. “I think Mikel Arteta is going to start to build his team around some of these players.”
Arsenal fans will be calling for Martinelli to start on Thursday as Arteta searches to turn around a crucial 2-1 deficit.
Given that Arsenal are chasing the game and they need the goals then it could be argued that an extra attacker should perhaps start.
Either way, Martinelli has to play some part on Thursday because if Arsenal head towards the European exit door then Arteta might end up getting booted out of the North London exit door.
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