According to Football.London, Gabriel Martinelli is set to play for Arsenal’s Under-23’s later tonight.
It’s claimed that the 19-year-old will start against AFC Wimbledon in the Papa John’s Trophy this evening.
He will play around 45-60 minutes before being taken off, giving him his first taste of action since June.
This is a huge boost for Arsenal; Martinelli showed real talent in his first season at the club last term, and ramping up his fitness ahead of a first-team return.
The Brazilian could be just what Mikel Arteta needs in order to inject some life into the Arsenal attack, having scored just twice in their last seven Premier League games.
Martinelli isn’t the only notable name set to feature against Wimbledon, as Football.London add that Sokratis Papastathopoulos and William Saliba will start too.
Sokratis has been exiled from first-team football, and an appearance tonight may simply get him fit for a January move away.
Saliba is still waiting for his big break with Arsenal, and the £28million signing from Saint-Etienne will be looking to prove himself to Arteta tonight.
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