Arsenal football club has confirmed their first summer signing, Ituano Futebol Clube teenager Gabriel Martinelli.
The 18-year-old has signed a long term contract with the club and will join up for pre-season training once the regulatory process has been completed.
The young lad is definitely talented, so much so that he was called up to the Brazilian squad for a training camp prior to the Copa America.
Martinelli has already had an interview with the club and here is the transcript.
Good afternoon Gabriel and welcome to Arsenal. Arsenal fans are very happy to have you here at the club. Could you let the fans know what kind of player you are?
I am a player who gives his all at all times, I play as a team and always looking to win games and win trophies.
Which player do you model your game on?
I model my game on Cristiano Ronaldo, he is a player who works hard, pushing himself to the next level. Always in the run for titles and individual trophies.
Are there any players that you look up to?
I look up to Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar as they are players who can decide games and are very professional, who dedicate themselves to the whole game.
What excites you most about this opportunity at Arsenal?
It is a dream since I was a child and also my family’s dream for me to be playing in Europe and playing for a big team like Arsenal. I am going to take this opportunity.
How did it feel to pull on that Arsenal shirt for the first time?
A very big moment, I am very grateful for everything, I am grateful to God and I will try to make the most out of it.
Do you know the history of the Brazilian players who have played for Arsenal?
I know a few. I know Edu, Denilson and I know that they have a lot of history at the club. Edu, in particular, I had a little contact with him at Corinthians as I had a spell there and I know they had a lot of success here but also for the national team. I am going to try to follow the same route.
You recently trained with the Brazil national team in preparation for the Copa America. What was the feeling of being there? How did you find out about the call up?
It was an amazing feeling, a dream come true, being able to be beside great players. I was home when I got the news and I was super happy. It is a great opportunity to learn and I enjoyed it as much as I could and I have to thank the team for welcoming me with open arms.
No fee has been mentioned but a figure of £6 Million has been reported and hopefully he will justify every penny.
He is obviously not a marquee name and while he is undoubtedly talented he has not been playing top-level football and his signing will bring into question some of the young forwards we already have at the club.
I do welcome this signing because from what I have read he could be something special but I do worry that he will do nothing to strengthen the squad right now. He seems a more long term purchase that still requires development as opposed to a player that can be fitted into the first team immediately.
But we have all been moaning about lack of signings and so credit to the club for finally making something happen.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0GtMYp4aMc[/embedyt]
I’m happy with a Brazilian ? Welcome Gabriel ?
But Don’t we prefer a certain Ivorian? ?
Oh we do indeed!! I’m just being polite ?
I have always love South America, French and Spanish players. Welcome!!!! Martinelli. Next Cebellos, Everton, Saliba.
Welcome to the Arsenal Gabriel.
It’s good that he idolizes and models his game on the world class inverted wingers, not the traditional strikers
We need more young players that are not afraid to risk their legs. Those footballers would most likely get injured because of their risky playing styles, but we need more courageous ones as we have too many players that like to play too safe
I believe our transfer business is far from over
Lets hope he is the new Ronaldo. Very interesting signing.
This could mean no Zaha, because Martinelli is also a right-footed LW like Zaha and Iwobi
Just watched Zaha’s highlights on YouTube, his tricks and skills are on a par with Ousmane Dembele’s and Ronaldo’s. But his 80 M price tag is ridiculous
Zaha should be priced at 50 M maximum. If we have to add another 10 M, we might as well get Nicolas Pepe
Welcome lad hope your a success!!
I’m not sure you can call neymar a role model or professional,just look at his on/off the field antics this season!
WAOOO! Welcome Martinelli. This is great news, EduCATE is must be doing some good works behind the scene. COYG.
Yeah we spent a rumored £6 million on a player that can’t help much now, but high hopes for in the future.
Kinda like Nelson, Saka, and ESR we already have and cost us nothing.
Can’t be bothered to pay another £5 million for high quality LB with CL experience (Tierney) but we can throw £6 million at an 18 yr old that we hope comes good, but can’t help much now.
Almost like defense isn’t a priority to management, odd how they manage money.
He’ll be off on loan couple years, I’ll save my “Welcome to Arsenal” when he actually can play for Arsenal.
Congrads to the young man, wish him all the best.
Seems like we’re replacing youngsters not the unproductive players we need to replace.
Eco your thoughts Durand.Was expecting Tierney signing first.Zaha good to have but not critical.39M to spend now! A bit dissapointed. And we have winger / strikers in the youth system.This lad will not be playing in the EL or EPL so what will be his actual use?
Couldn’t have put it better myself Durand. Well said. Your last sentence, while true, is the most worrying bit of course. Whatever happened to ‘Out with the old (and freakin’ useless), In with the new?’
Really hope we get Tierney – if only to ensure Kolasinac, our pass backwards expert, doesn’t play.
So Kev was right?
Seems this one was done awhile ago but it is nice to always see young talented players who have been given a chance to show their potential at arsenal finally be announced.
We have a set of forward players in Nelson, Iwobi, Laca, Auba, Ozil, Mhikt, ESR, Eddie, and Martinelli but maybe we need to see who we sell and who we loan and who remains with the 1st team before we understand what type of signing this is.
It’s one for the future and we have to build for that. We Do need to compete right now, but the big million pound purchases just isn’t going to happen…as sad as that is.
Zaha at 40m clearly is a play on his desire to move…but arsenal should only make that offer if they plan to come back with a serious 55m offer. Take it or leave it offer. The split offer payment leads me to forget zaha as ever being a gooner.
It seems Napoli are ahead on Tierney and Saliba club are happy to play hardball.
Just going off press talk, it all seems scatter gun by arsenal. I hope arsenal are just lining up the ducks and plan to make announcement after announcement.
If you expect the bigger signings to be announced last…starting with Martinelli isn’t too bad a start.
If the young man was called into the Brazi!Ian camp for training he must be talented that’s for sure.How quickly he can aspire to the Arsenal first team squad remains to be seen but if he is good enough he is old enough.First impressions are important to me and it’s nice to see a young man in white shirt and dark jacket as he signs for our Club.Are you also impressed Sue?
Arsenal fans complain too much. I guess we wouldnt appreciate our own until they leave. First signing of the season after the new kit lunch, i hope its the begining of good things to come.
For those hypocritic fans saying arsenal bid of 40m for zaha is a joke, may i ak u, is Zaha better than Mahrez? If yes then i will agree he worth more than 60m but if no, 40m is a very good bid. I saw some1 comparing the bid to wan Bansaka 50m and think because zaha is a forward, should cost more…..what about age difference
Welcome to the arsenal boy hope for the best.just give your all for the club
I am happy with gabriel and feel positive there will be more signings, but we have be patient. Some we may like,some we may not
It’s not wholes is better it’s about clubs valuation a better player can be playing in Belgium at a very low price u can even say fraiser is better but at lower price it’s clubs valuation