Arsenal’s £50 million summer recruit Gabriel Jesus has heaped praise on his new teammate Gabriel Martinelli. While the duo are national teammates for Brazil as well, Jesus and Martinelli will now share the dressing room on club-level football also. Jesus completed his switch from Manchester City to Arsenal last month after five trophy as well as goal-laden years at the club.
While talking to Arsenal’s official website, Jesus picked Martinelli as the player who ‘surprised’ him when he first met him. Martinelli too was scouted from Brazil by the Gunners, signed from Serie B side Ituano back in 2019. The 21-year-old has since only been impressing for the North Londoners, making 84 appearances in total.
‘He’s so good a player’ says Gabriel Jesus of Gabriel Martinelli
Jesus left for a new challenge this summer after City landed Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland. The Brazilian brought an end to his five-and-a-half year stint at the club, where he racked up 95 goals 236 appearances. Jesus further lifted a massive nine trophies with the Cityzens, which included four Premier League titles.
The 25-year-old comes with a plenty of experience to a young Arsenal squad who were in dire need of a striker after star forward Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang left in January. Jesus who has 58 goals to his name in the Premier League in about 99 starts, is on course to lead Arsenal’s attack for the next season.
The striker was engaged in a rapid-fire QnA with the club’s official website, wherein he was asked about fellow teammate Gabriel Martinelli. Jesus described, “Martinelli was with the national team. He came to complete the training session with us. So, I saw him playing young, and I was so surprised because I didn’t know him. That season, I was following him, because he’s so good a player, I was surprised, and I’m a big fan of him.”
Martinelli has been polishing his game to the next level as each season passes. The left-winger, whose versatility allows him to operate as a no.9 as well has netted 18 goals and collected 13 assists in 84 games for the Gunners. Martinelli has responded well to stiff competition within the team from the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.
However, he will face more competition to prove his mettle with the incomings of Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira and another Brazilian talent Marquinhos who was snapped up from Sau Paulo. Martinelli too had special appreciation for Jesus, labelling him as ‘ one of the best strikers in the world’.
Martinelli too shares the same admiration for his new teammate
Speaking to FourFourTwo after Arsenal’s Emirates Cup clash against Sevilla, where Jesus netted a hat-trick, Martinelli said, “For me, he [Gabriel Jesus] is one of the best strikers in the world. I am happy to have him here and it is a pleasure to play with him. I hope I give a lot of assists for him and we go to the national team together.”
Jesus will now play alongside not one but two of his Brazilian teammates, Gabriel Martinelli as well as Gabriel Magalhaes at Arsenal. Martinelli further added how the two Brazilians convinced Jesus to join them at the Emirates. “Me and Gabi [Gabriel Magalhaes] were always saying to him, ‘come to Arsenal’, and you can see what he is doing now. Of course, he knows how to win. He’s going to be important for us this season, not just scoring goals but giving us advice as well,” revealed Martinelli.”
Both Martinelli and Jesus will now be gearing to spearhead Arsenal’s attack as their season opener is just around the corner. Arsenal face Crystal Palace this weekend at the Selhurst Park where Jesus is highly expected to make his official debut for the Gunners.