Owen Hargreaves has bigged up six Arsenal players including, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and William Saliba, but he thinks it’s Gabriel Martinelli who is a ‘breath of fresh air’.
The former England midfielder added that Mikel Arteta is doing a ‘good job’ at the Emirates and Arsenal have ‘some of the best young players’ in the game.
Last season, Arsenal had the youngest average age squad in the Premier League, and during this summer transfer window, they have tuned it up a little.
Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, both 25, arrived from Manchester City this summer, as the club’s top and senior purchases of the window.
But that hasn’t stopped those from the boardroom from still looking to the future, with teenage sensation Marquinhos arriving from Brazil and 22-year-old Fabio Vieira joining from Porto.
Nonetheless, former Manchester United and Bayern Munich midfielder Hargreaves like what is being built at the Emirates, as he bigged up a number of their young stars, as he told Premier League Productions.
“Mikel Arteta is doing a good job and they have a good base,” said Hargreaves. “They fell down at the crucial moments last season, that’s down to experience and older players. They don’t have any.
“But they have some of the best young ones in the game. Odegaard is fantastic. Martinelli is a breath of fresh air. Saka is amazing. Smith Rowe is great. Gabriel Jesus looks like a class player. And Saliba was Man of the Match against Crystal Palace.
“They have got a lot of really good young players and I like what Arsenal are building.”
ARTETA HAS HANDLED MARTINELLI IN A BRILLIANT WAY
When Arteta joined Arsenal, Martinelli was showing very promising signs and fans were eager for him to earn minutes, especially given that they were struggling for flair and creativity at the time.
But like Pep Guardiola did with Phil Foden, the former midfielder remained patient, trusted his own judgment, he didn’t listen to any outside noise and now Martinelli is thriving in first-team colours.
At this moment in time, he is a first-team regular, including scoring Arsenal’s first goal of the 2022/23 Premier League season when they beat Crystal Palace on Friday night.
And with the 2022 World Cup around the corner, he will want to be part of manager Tite’s squad that travels to Qatar in November.
The £6 million signing (Goal) has already tasted senior caps for Brazil and he will be hoping for a lot more during these coming months.
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