Gabriel Martinelli has backed Arsenal to become one of the best teams in the world.
The Brazilian is part of a new generation of talent coming through the Emirates as Mikel Arteta looks to return the Gunners to the glory days.
Arsenal have spent the last several windows getting rid of ageing, unwanted talent that contributed to a negative dressing room atmosphere.
At the same time, the have invested heavily in younger stars with a mix of Hale End talents brought in as well.
Arsenal’s main attacking midfielders right now, for example, are Martinelli (19), Martin Odegaard (23), Emile Smith Rowe (21) and Bukayo Saka (20).
And when speaking to The Athletic recently, Martinelli backed this youthful Arsenal side to be one of the best in the world:
“We are so young,” Martinelli stated. “The oldest player in the game against City was Laca (Alexandre Lacazette) but a lot of players are 22, 23, 24.
“We have time to improve and we are going to do that. One hundred per cent — we will be one of the best teams in the world.”
Gabriel Martinelli speaks out on being turned down by Manchester United
In the same interview, Gabriel Martinelli has been discussing Manchester United.
The South American revealed he had four different trials with United, but they never showed interest in him:
“I actually had four different trials at United when I was 13, 14, 15 and 16,” Martinelli revealed.
This was in Manchester at the club’s training base, where I played in the same age group as Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams, and I met first-team players, like Zlatan (Ibrahimovic), Paul Pogba, Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra.
“There was never a moment, though, when they said they wanted me (to sign) there. But it give me a taste and made the adaptation a little easier because I had experienced football in England. Even after those trials, I always believed in myself. My mind is always thinking, ‘I can do it.’”
