‘Strong’: Martinelli says £15m Arsenal target tougher than Alexander-Arnold

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Premier League whizzkid Gabriel Martinelli has identified reported £15 million Arsenal target Djed Spence as his toughest ever opponent, speaking to The Athletic.

In recent months, Martinelli has gone head-to-head with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joao Cancelo, Reece James and Matty Cash, to name just four.

But there’s one player that stands out when the Brazilian racks his brains and thinks back to the defender who’s given him the toughest time as an Arsenal player.

And it just so happens that the man in question may be joining Martinelli at the Emirates Stadium sooner rather than later.

“Actually the guy from Nottingham Forest, Djed Spence,” Martinelli explains when asked to name his toughest opponent. “Who I played against in the FA Cup.”

Is Djed Spence joining Arsenal?

A 21-year-old Middlesbrough loanee might not be the obvious candidate. But anyone who tuned into Nottingham Forest’s January giant-killing will understand why Martinelli is enduring PTSD-ridden flashbacks about the aggressive, athletic Spence.

Martinelli was the best player in Arsenal colours against Liverpool in the EFL Cup semi-final. He gave Cancelo plenty of problems when Manchester City came to town too.

But, as Arsenal went down a 1-0 defeat to Steve Cooper’s fiery Forest side, Martinelli was little more than a frustrated bystander. Relegated to spectator status by a tough-tackling right-back who barely gave him a sniff all afternoon.

“He (Spence) is very strong, good on the ball, calm and quick,” Martinelli adds. “I was surprised. He is a really good player.”

Tougher than Trent?

Arsenal’s North London neighbours, Tottenham Hotspur, failed with two bids for former Fulham youngster Spence during the January transfer window.

Leeds, Leicester City and Southampton are also keen.

So Nottingham Forest’s hopes of keeping Spence in Garibaldi red may rest on whether Cooper can succeed in guiding English football’s great underachievers back to the big time after 20 years out of the limelight.

If Spence ends up at Arsenal instead, Martinelli will have to get used to squaring up to Spence on a daily basis.

Those London Colney training sessions may be about to become a damn sight tougher for Mikel Arteta’s ‘talent of the century’.