Odegaard update may open the door for Arteta to unleash ace who ‘doesn’t stop’ – Our View

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According to Marca, Real Madrid are not open to letting Martin Odegaard join Arsenal on a permanent basis at the end of the season.

This is of course a massive blow for the Gunners, but if they’re not going to be able to sign the Norwegian, they need to start planning life without him.

The temptation will of course be there to go out and buy a like-for-like replacement, but perhaps the Gunners would be better served rejigging their XI and unleashing a player who has been starved of chances lately.

We’re talking about Gabriel Martinelli.

Of course, Martinelli doesn’t play in the same position as Odegaard, so this swap may sound rather silly, but with Emile Smith Rowe being able to play as a number 10, a move inside for him could see a slot open up on the wing, and that’s where Martinelli comes in.

The Brazilian is undoubtedly a talented footballer. After all, Gunners fans seem to be clamouring for him to start on almost a weekly basis, but due to the amount of talent in the Gunners’ squad he’s not gotten his chance.

He’s been impressing in training lately, and once upon a time, he was arguably the Gunners’ biggest attacking threat before his long-term injury halted his development.

His injury came at a bad time, but now he’s getting back to full fitness, doing extra sessions to improve his finishing and catching the eye of his teammates, with Bukayo Saka raving about him recently.

“Just watch him play and press, the way he goes he doesn’t stop,” Saka said.

“He’s not only just fast, he can also run a long distance at that same speed and just get faster. You look at his Chelsea goal he didn’t slow down or get tired. It’s not just his pace it’s his engine as well. It’s crazy. It’s like he’s got a battery pack on his back.”

Arteta does have other options out wide, but the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Willian and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have had their chances, and if we’re being brutally honest, they’ve not stepped up this season.

Smith Rowe and Saka have shown what the young players can do if they’re given a chance, and if Odegaard is to leave, it may be time for Arteta to unleash Martinelli.