Why Arsenal should keep hold of Gabriel Martinelli for the future
According to 90min (h/t The Express), Real Madrid are eyeing a move for Arsenal youngster Gabriel Martinelli, who could be sold by the club if they receive a huge bid for the teenage talent.
Martinelli, 18, came through the ranks of Ituano Futebol Clube’s youth system and joined Arsenal last summer for a fee of around £6million. Though he has not been a regular starter for the Gunners, he has been impressive in the limited opportunities he has received. He has already impressed in his first season in North London and has shown great attitude that belies his tender age.
Meanwhile, the Gunners have managed to regroup themselves after a horrible start to the campaign under Unai Emery. The arrival of Mikel Arteta has brought positivity within the club and they have been excellent since the turn of the New Year.
They have lost just one league game under the new manager and are currently 9th in the league standings, hoping for European qualification. Despite doing a decent job in the second half of the campaign, some players lack consistency, with club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being the only in-form player.
The Gabon international has netted 17 goals so far and has not had much support up front from Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette. The former Lyon man seems to have lost his goalscoring touch and has blown hot and cold throughout the campaign.
The attacking unit has not been up to the mark as they have scored only 40 goals, which is low as per Arsenal’s standards. However, youngsters Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah, who returned from a loan spell in January, have been brilliant so far.
The Brazilian has already netted 10 goals in 26 games across all competitions and has established himself as one of the most exciting teenagers in Europe. From his performances in the limited game time, it is clear that he can develop into a leader for the Gunners in the future.
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Verdict
The Gunners have a talented youngster in Martinelli and it would be absolutely foolish of them to let him go now. He has shown promise and the wise thing to do would be to groom him for the future.
Therefore, Arsenal must fend off any interest from the big clubs for Martinelli and keep hold of him. He can go on to represent them in the long run and is sure to succeed in the Premier League.
