Arsenal completed ‘brilliant business’ by luring Gabriel Martinelli to the Emirates Stadium for a fraction of his current value, Evening Standard journalist Simon Collings has told GIVEMESPORT.
The Brazil international has played a key role in Mikel Arteta’s Gunners remaining top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal latest news – Gabriel Martinelli
According to Sky Sports, Martinelli handed Arteta a major boost when he signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal last month.
The report suggests the winger penned a four-and-a-half-year deal which includes an option to extend the agreement by another 12 months.
It is understood that Martinelli is pocketing £180,000-per-week after putting pen-to-paper and committing his long-term future to Arsenal.
The 21-year-old recently returned to the starting line-up after being dropped by Arteta last month, a decision which journalist Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT was ‘harsh’.
Martinelli has been on the Gunners’ books since completing a £6million switch from Brazilian lower league side Ituano in 2019.
What has Simon Collings said about Martinelli?
Collings understands that Arsenal signed Martinelli after impressing the same scout who discovered former Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas.
The journalist believes the South American’s performances show that the north Londoners sealed the deal for a bargain fee and he is now worth considerably more.
Collings told GIVEMESPORT: “You look at the fee of £6million, and there were some eyebrows raised after paying that for someone from the Brazilian fourth division, but Arsenal were confident in the talent they’d seen in him.
“The scout who found him was the same scout who found Fabregas and other talents before, so there was a belief that they had got someone of that quality.
“When you think what he’d be worth in today’s market, it’s crazy. I think a player who is raising value by that much is brilliant business by Arsenal.”
How has Martinelli performed this season?
There is no doubt that Martinelli has played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s title tilt as, according to Transfermarkt, he went into the weekend having found the back of the net 11 times and registered a further two assists in 26 Premier League appearances this season.
Having been described as ‘quality’ by Gabriel Jesus after his fellow countryman arrived in a £45million move from Manchester City last summer, he has been in scintillating form.
Martinelli has been handed Arsenal’s fifth-best average match rating by WhoScored for his top flight performances this term, with his 7.19 figure only being bettered by Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey.
The Brazilian, who has already been handed more than 110 outings by the Gunners, was particularly impressive during the 4-0 win over Everton last week.
Sofascore data highlights that Martinelli scored with both of his shots on target, while he also boasted 92 per cent pass accuracy as the Toffees were put to the sword.
