Gabriel Martinelli has had a long time out of the Arsenal side with injury after bursting into the Gunners first team last season, but now the 19 year-old feels that he is now ready to take to the field, and also he is very keen on following in Aubameyang’s footsteps.
“I’m feeling very good,” Martinelli told ESPN Brazil (in quotes translated by @Rehnato). “I don’t feel any more pain on my knee and this is the most important thing. I’m ready when Mikel needs me.
“I’m working very hard (to start). Of course, Auba plays in my position but I look to him every day, in every training, to learn as much as I can from him, he’s also a great guy off the pitch.
“I want to follow into Aubameyang’s footsteps, he’s a captain, he wears the number 14 shirt. That is a symbol for this club and of course, I hope to be very successful at Arsenal.”
I am nearly as certain as can be that Martinelli will become a superstar and Arsenal legend in the future, but I also agree with Arteta handling him with kid gloves until he regains top form and fitness.
We can’t just expect Martinelli to bounce back to the scintillating form he was in before his cruel injury, and we certainly don’t want a relapse any time soon because of overplaying.
He is still young, and he has the time and the talent to be even better than Aubameyang, don’t you agree?
Sam P