Player Talent Scout: Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal made some big signings in the summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Kieran Tierney, William Saliba, Dani Ceballos and David Luiz, but it is perhaps the least well known of their new players who could prove the best piece of business.

Gabriel Martinelli signed for just £6m in the summer from Campeonato Paulista side Ituano, and although he was highly rated enough in Brazil to be called up by Tite to train with the Brazilian National Team in May, his move to the Emirates went slightly under the radar.

Following trials at Manchester United and Barcelona in 2015, Martinelli made his Ituano debut at the age of just 16, and went on to cement his place as a key player at the club with six goals in the 2019 Campeonato Paulista. Arsenal moved fast and secured his signing in July 2019.

Martinelli impressed in preseason for the Gunners, and made his Premier League debut as a late substitute against Newcastle. The pacy forward got his first start in the 5-0 EFL Cup win over Nottingham Forest, where he scored twice, and he followed that up with another brace and an assist in last night’s 4-0 Europa League win against Standard Liege.

Martinelli prefers to play from the left wing, where he can come inside onto his stronger right foot, but Unai Emery has so far played him as a central striker, and he has shown he is comfortable there, scoring a header in each of his starts.

With Aubameyang and Lacazette ahead of him in the pecking order, it may be the Europa League which provides his best chance of game time, but if he continues to score goals at this rate Emery will have no choice but to give Martinelli his chance in the Premier League and you wouldn’t bet against him establishing himself as a key player for Arsenal.