All the signs are that the Brazillian hot prospect Gabriel Martinelli will be announced as an Arsenal player in the next few days. He was 18 yesterday and is now eligible to sign a professional contract in the UK.
We should be excited for 2 reasons …
- He is a highly regarded emerging talent and was being courted by several top clubs.
- He points to a new way forward for Arsenal. A new more vibrant and energetic era for the club begins here.
The late season capitulation showed us that whatever it is that had seeped into the fabric of the club in recent years still persists. The only answer is to bring in new blood and to change the culture and that process is taking place this summer.
Martinelli was at Corinthians when Edu was Sporting Director and seems likely to be the first player brought in by our soon to be new Technical Director as part of further shakeups behind the scenes that have already seen Freddie Ljunberg swap jobs with Steve Bould. Francis Cagigao is highly regarded at the club and has also played a role in the transfer after having previously been a scout. He was responsible spotting players such as Lauren, Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin so we can see that his credentials are first rate.
Edu will be announced as the new Head of Recruitment when he takes up the post officially on 7th July. We are getting things right behind the scenes and this should enable us to be more effective at the sharp end with qualified and competent specialist management making the important decisions.
So why get excited about Martinelli?
A few facts:
- He was born in Guarulhos, São Paulo
- He signed his first professional contract on 4 November 2017 with Ituano FC
- He was promoted to the first team for the 2019 Campeonato Paulista where he scored six goals during the competition, the club’s top goalscorer
- He’s a predominantly right footed wide attacking player who can also play as a striker
- He’s quick, and direct and loves to dribble.
- He has trialled for Man Utd and Barcelona.
- He’s rumoured to be joining for around £6m.
- He’s seen as a replacement for Welbeck.
- He scored 10 goals and had 6 assists in 31 games last season.
There is a new order that is emerging in the EPL. Most clubs that are being sold are being snapped up by owners who have agendas beyond football and are prepared to invest heavily in search of success. Arsenal may be in the bottom half of the league when it comes to funds available for transfers so we have to spend wisely.
Of course Martinelli is a risk, as are all young players. Let’s hope we invest in some of the youth under our very noses already in our academy too …. the likes of Willock, Nelson, Bielik, Nketieh, Smith-Rowe and Sheaf could negate the need to look any further.
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That is a rather well presented post, I can’t for the life of me work out who wrote it.
I know nothing about these players, I will wait until RC tells me what to think 🙂 but in the mean time it I am being excited, I am being very excited.
Optimism abounds!trialled for Manure & the Barca bandits but didn’t sign him.Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……
We must be doing something right ………… haven’t attracted any trolls for a while 😉
I’m excited!! Everyone needs a Brazilian in their team (except Andre bloody Santos, the muppet!!!)
Morning all. Great post, full of optimism. It’s like i fell through to another dimension.
It’s looking likely this one isn’t it. I might even dare to break out the old you tube clips and see this lad in action. He’s certainly covering the right positions. Even with this lad, Nelson and Smith-Rowe we have far better wide players to call on. Despite their age. Let’s hope we can stretch some teams and in turn take a little pressure off.
My word, I always loved Edu. What a player he was. Let’s hope he’s as calm negotiating with clubs over players as he was on the pitch.
A very good Post, altho LB is correct it would be nice to credit someone for writing it.
I noted the Rasper ‘posted’ it, so unless someone owns up to being the author, he gets the credit. 🥺
Morning Peaches, and all who navigate in AA.
Are you teasing me by changing the editors bit, after I credited Rasp, and removed any reference to him posting the ‘item’.
It’s not that bad Rasp. 😳
Morning All
Fine post and look forward to seeing this guy plus, very hopefully, Saliba from L’Orient since I believe he could be our VVD. Dont like idea of loaning him back however, as we need to sort defence out somehow, NOW.
No one apart from Peaches commented on my “take 70m for Aubang, and 35m for Xhaka” All against?
LBG – too risky for me to sell Auba and Xhaka. We already have too much business to do and too many first teamers to replace. We need to keep as much consistency as possible now. Other than that £105m for those too would be nice. I’d want to replace with a good few academy promotions and then some free transfers. Then we give all that money to Ramsey see if he’ll come back.
Wandering about the other blogs that is my normal morning exercise, I noticed that this story about Martinelli is receiving a lot of mention.
However, as a matter of balance, take a look at ‘untold arsenal’ who have used a clickbait headline on NewsNow and that really piled into the media on this story in particular.
Mystery author, who, or what, was your source for our Post? 🤪
Sounds like another Wellington Silva, Ryo Miyaichi, Takuma Asano type tbh
Redders – the author did mention it might be risky to publish this today as it hadn’t been announced. As others have said ….. positive thinking is no bad thing 😉
Anyone else thinking we need a couple of Lichensteiner type signings this window? We need some winners around the place.
I’m not sure I agree Els …… they talk a good talk but often fail to deliver and tie up wages …… I’m prepared to be persuaded …….. have you got anyone in mind?
Lichensteiner’s pitch contributions were poor. However, I don’t think it’s just BS when they talk about the dressing room contributions. We are in danger of becoming a team without many succesful players in it. I would take Mata in a heart beat. To be honest Cahill or Darmian too. Obviously it depends on wages. But those guys could come here and get game time, pass on experience and in some cases a winning mentality.
Nice, positive post, he sounds like a promising addition to the squad. Not a lot of business being done anywhere across the EPL, so it isn’t just us…
Els,
I have to say that Peaches is right.
Over the years AW and now Unai have been tempted to buy players whose careers are coming to an end in the hope that once good players can bring their experience to bear, at a salary that reflects their status, but it rarely works.
The reason the club have done so, I presume, is lack of money to get younger quality players.
Arsenal are like a handicapped horse in a race, in that respect.
Doesn’t matter that not much transfer business is being done across the EPL, Kev, if Sue wants a Brazilian then …….. 😜
Jeff Reine Adelaide looked like a terrific acquisition when we bought him as a kid, but unfortunately his contract renewal was happening just about the time the management and coaching changes at Arsenal were happening, and even AW who had said he would be a top player, had lost his influence, and we ended up selling him for 10p or something.
It was ridiculous then, and looks even more ridiculous now.
Arsenal should bring in a system that attaches a manager/coaches initials to the transfer, when they agree to sell players, so we can all rant at the right idiot who sells/sold good players or youth players with bundles of potential.
I am officially fed up with the Jeff being sold — boo.
I’m not sure the influence a player like that would have is easily quantified. I remember reading a lot from Bellerin about the influence it was having on him. It’s like having an expensive coach that can play and add drive to the squad. Well that’s how I see it. Each to their own. Some have failed and it’s easy to look at all these deals as the same thing as Kim Kallstrom, but it’s the same as saying Geundouzi is going to have the same influence as Fran Merida (how’s he doing). Juan Mata for me would be an exceptional signing.
Saying that I do see your point. We’ve been burned haven’t we.
So it appears Claude Maurice has snubbed us.. who knows if it’s BS or not… the advice I’ve been given is – to only go by Ornstein, tea leaves or pasty crumbs!! 😂
LBG.. I’d quite happily take Xhaka to a donkey sanctuary tomorrow.. so yes I’m extremely happy for him to go. Auba.. hmmm I always wanted him while he was at Dortmund…. but if push came to shove, I’d rather we kept Laca….
RA.. I don’t need a Brazilian thanks 🤣🤣 I hope that Martinelli doesn’t go to the same dentist as Bobby Firmino 😬😂
Martinelli is indeed an exciting talent but in the past, we have recruited young Brazilians as well but with very little success- remember Wellington Silva? Pedro Botelho?Juan Maldonado? The only decent pick was Denilson…So I suggest we manage our expectations.
I agree that we should bulk our team with players that are used to winning and competing…Mata is signing up a new 1-year deal with Man Utd.
I think we could replace Lichtensteiner with Valencia – I like his attitude and he has got a good engine still and is good at delivery and free-kicks. He is free and I think would be better than Darmian.
I think we could get Alaba from Munich on the cheap as well. Question marks remain on whether he is as good as before his injury but I think he would be a good addition to the squad and bring in a good mentality and would challenge Kolasinac. An older option would be Filipe Luis from Atletico.
We could also gamble on Ribery or Robben – experienced trophy winning stars that could really add some grit to the team.
Herrera from Man Utd is also free and would add grit and winning mentality.
We mishandled a few promising young players…Jeff and Gnabry come to my mind, for example…
I am happy to let both El Neny and Xhaka go but I d like to keep Auba unless we have an offer exceeding 50 Mln pounds for him
I am happy to invest in “older players” that have played over 25 games the last season such as Valencia, Filipe Luis but not so keen to buy players that have not played such as Cahill.
RC78 – yeah there have been a good few mishandled unfortunately. You could add the Ox to that. Also Amaeichi might be going on that list too. If rumours are to be believed. Also Mavididi!
Regarding older players, I hadn’t realised Valencia was out of contract. He’s an excellent player.
From my experience Brazilian don’t go to good at arsenal hopefully he changes this
There are a lot of Spanish speakers now.
Of course all against
Thanks Rasp / mystery writer, fine post.
He looks like someone to be excited about. With him and Nelson we would have 2 young pacey attacking left sided wing forwards going into next season, although longer term he looks like a player who should convert to striker, like TH14.
LBG in answer to your question, if we were to get £35m for Xhaka and £70m+ for Auba I would take it. I love Auba but at 30 years old those figures are tempting and those funds could secure a key but expensive option elsewhere.
I also agree about mixing some experienced players into the mix who are nearing the end of top flight career but maybe have 1-2 years in them. They wouldn’t have to be a first on the team sheet, or play every game this season type, but more to give us that squad depth and experienced voice in the dressing room and on the training ground.
The key is that they still need to have the quality to influence a big game situation when called upon, which is not what we have really got in the past when going for those types of players.
Milner and Sturridge stick out for me for instance if we sold Xhaka and Auba. With Laca as our main man he could be backed up as a number 9 by the experienced Sturridge and the raw Nketieh and Martinelli. Also Sturridge can play to the right of the striker so gives us an experienced option there as well as the young Saka. Milner gives us a decent option in CM alongside the youngsters we have such as Willock, Smith-Rowe, Iwobi, Douzi.
I would then use the money to look at a quality LFB and CB and also to improve and extend Laca’s contract.
I also look at Liverpool as an example. It has been mentioned we can’t compete with the finances they have thrown at their team. I don’t feel that is true and feel we are in a similar financial bracket to them, but what they have done well is to sell high on a couple of key players and re-invest elsewhere in the squad to make the all round squad stronger.
They haven’t been wasteful while we have with our money and the players leaving on a free. This could stop here with those 2 sales and the proper use of the funds it brings in. We have a 2-3 year rebuilding project anyway so being smart and removing sentimental thoughts is what we need to do.
Oxlade indeed…Mavdidi, let s c
Maurice wants to go to Monchengladbach but West Ham and Arsenal are offering double the money for him so he may join the EPl
Herrera winning mentally wasn’t Manu trash this season
Martinelli has an Italian passport, which helps to facilitate his transfer to UK (without work permit requirement).
He does not have any known major injuries in his budding career so far (an added plus point).
It is still premature to place too much expectations on his young shoulders (e.g. to get double digit goals and/or assists in his 1st season etc.), while his contribution, learning and growing in his new team would be greatly appreciated.
Sturridge really a guy who is blighted with injuries, best we kept Theo and welbeck
Sometimes am amazed at the player u want guys want us to bring in logically to me makes no sense, what exactly is sturridge experience in
Sell Auba and Xhaka for $100+ million, in a New York second.
Will be encouraged if we buy some CB’s and another strong DM.
Do not want any injury prone hail mary’s or 35 year old cast off’s.
Bring up some exceptional 20-25 year gem, that actually has a body that can take the EPL punishment.
Edu, should be able to help us culturally identify talent in his region, much the same way Arsene was able to do so in France. Yes- it matters.
So what are people thinking about the defence for next season. Personally I think Emery wants a back four. We didn’t have any wide attackers so the only way we could add width was using wing backs. Do you think we can get the players in to play that formation though?
Taking about defense just saw Hummels returned to Dortmund
Will players like Bellerin and holding be ready for the start of preseason
my personally opinion is only let mustafi go and let chambers and holding see if they can make the cut
Keep Monreai as CB cover,
as you said am assuming we playing a back 4
Bellerin won’t be fit for the start of the season, Fred… looking at September ish… not sure about Holding.. saw some pics of him in the gym.. looks like he’s beefed up a little… maybe around the same time as Hector???
Els, we probably need to play a back 4 in primarily a 4-3-3 system which seems to, by and large, be the main go to set up for most top sides.
As you say we have only really had good attacking width options from utilising wing backs, as we haven’t really had the winger / wing forward type players.
With the 4-3-3 the FB’s can be attacking full-backs who overlap the attacking wider players at the right time while more recently our FB’s in a back 4 are actually camped high up the pitch like wingers. This is why we had to play a back 3 with wing backs.
If we introduce Nelson and Saka next year (left side and right side respectively) they would fit the profile of the wing forwards that allows for a better and more stable 4-3-3 system. Martinelli, if he arrives, may give us another option.
This brings me to answering your question Fred. The suggestion of Sturridge is that he is experienced and does have reasonable quality in his play. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have ended up at some of the big clubs he has. Maybe now he is finished, and we do know about his injury problems, so it may be a non starter, but I am not aware of him being finished.
My angle is that we need some temporary filling players at the moment, and he can either play number 9 or off to the right of another striker so it just increases our options on a budget.
It’s more looking at it practically rather than perfectly, because we are not in a position to have that perfect, top level, in their prime, 2 players for each position that City can have, so I feel we have to have certain areas covered by being smart rather than ideal.
Hypothetically Fred if we were to sell Aubamayeng and recruit Martinelli then how do you see our squad forward options being next season, and who would you bring in (if any) rather than say Sturridge on a free?
Yeah I think Holding would have played every minute Mustafi got, had he not been injured. I think he’ll be ready for the start of the season won’t he? As Sue said though Bellerin is out still.
Mavropanos is also still looking good to me. He had a shaky game at the end of the season but to judge him on that performance when the rest of the squad were poor is unfair.
Surely if Chambers is retained we’d have enough cover for Bellerin along with AMN. At least a right back would become lowest prioroty?
I’d love an established CB. Umtiti would have been good. People appear to have good things to say about Saliba. But we have a good few young defensive players. I find it difficut to get excited about. We should be looking to replace Lord Koscielny.
1st string – Bellerin – Sokratis – Holding – Kolasinac
2nd string – AMN – Chambers – Mavropanos – Monreal
Isn’t great. But this is me imagining both Koscielny and Mustafi are going. Also Chambers appears to be better in midfield, as does Beillik
Yeah I agree with your thoughts on the formation GoonerB. I’d expect the back four to make the central midfield work better also.
I’m not even thinking about Auba leaving yet. I don’t think they’ll allow it.
I’d throw Smith-Rowe into the mix personally.
GB to me sturridge is on the same boat with welbeck and Theo when u need them they are injured, if u watched Liverpool at the start of the season sturridge was the super sub then boom injury bug hit which turned origi into the super sub, I just thinking as we are rebuilding we need players we can count on and for me sturridge isn’t that,
We not selling aub so but if we do surely with the cash we can get someone way better than sturridge
I still think that Emery wants us to play in a 4321 with the 2 behind the striker being able to also play wide if necessary but most importantly, he needs 2 out of the 3 mods to be able to make forward runs.
I still think we re short of a CB, DM, CM and a FW that meets Emery s style.
We need Koulibaly, Rodri, De Ligt and Neymar but we will settle for Aldewrreild, Pulgar, Vidal and Perisic 😉
I also think AMN would do terrific as a CM playing on the right side of the mid 3.
Back 4 for sure under Emery
Hi Els.. I read earlier that Leipzig are after ESR again, on loan, for next season. Can’t knock the experience he’ll gain, but I really did like the look of him & would love to see him get a run in the first team, although I guess I’ll have to be patient 😀 all good things come to those who wait hey?!!
Hi Fellas, and Ladies,
Some of you may not yet know a special AA blogger known as Micky-Dun-Did-It — but you will eventually have the pleasure of doing so.
He will have carefully read all the very well thought out team strategies proposing a back four, or a back 3 or whatever, and have given them plenty of thought-ish.
He of course would have been unable to change his own well established thoughts as a brilliant, renowned team strategist and without having the chance to discuss the above with him that he will remain committed to his own strategy, which is;
A goalkeeper + 10 forwards.
One day you will all bow to the King 🤴 of all out attack.
Micky, stop playing around with the dolphins in your rubber suit — damnit – well not dolphins in your rubber suit – that would be disgusting – but you, in your rubber suit, playing with the dolphins in their own rubber suits in
your baththe sea, and come and tell ’em I am right!! 😛Hi Sue,
I’m afraid I have a complaint to lodge.
Stop following all these pseudos who show off their grasp of the club’s players at all levels by referring to them by their initials just to show up numbskulls like me.
Anyway, I have no idea who who E. S. Rowe is – but I would prefer that great, and mysterious CM who you will know as XYZ, and then beef up the forwards with that young guy OXO, so we can get back to basics with the youthful ABC — I am sure you will agree,
AMN (there we go again) 🤪 has failed to live up to expectations at RB (ouch) which is forgivable as it is not his position, but he is never going to be a top CM (stop it) or as a CMW ( will you pack it in) because he cannot cross a ball for toffee.
As for GX (sizzle) he is not too good at anything.
(I wish I knew who that is.)
Yea the only reason I don’t mind us using the cb we have is they would be able to do a job and no way we get worse than last year, I especially want chamber to get a go to know if he the real deal
How was ESR loan spell I only saw him made one sub appearance
Ooh sorry. It’s me with the abbreviations and stuff. I’ll stop.
I think that was his only appearance for them, Fred.. they obviously liked what they saw though, to want him back. Just hope he can stay injury free!
Bielik’s only gone & scored again!! Dayum!! 👍
Bielik looking up for a fight for a first team place. I like him and Maitland-Niles in a cup game midfield next season eh?
RC, you may have a better insight than me from watching Emery’s prior teams but a 4-3-2-1 with the 2 players behind the single striker being able to operate wide sounds pretty much the same as a 4-3-3 to me.
There is one elephant in the room if we want to play that type of system, that it only allows for 1 striker on the pitch. If Auba stays then Emery will be chopping and changing between him and Laca. Will they both be happy with this as established senior strikers.
If we are likely to mostly play with a 1 striker system next season it is one of the reasons why I would possibly take the big cash on one of them if it presents itself unless they are both happy to rotate.
I get what you are saying Fred but this question of which system would be best and how to accommodate 2 senior strikers is an important one for UE to work out. It may be better to have 1 favoured senior striker with back up options comprising 1 youth striker and 1 other senior striker who wont mind playing second fiddle to the main man.
VAR surpasses itself in the Scotland Argentina game. God help us next season. Get practising Leno.
Hi GB, I d play both Auba and Lacs in a 4321 because they are so good together and they can interchange positions too during the game. They need that one guy with them that can add more width to the right or provoke defenders and play direct, someone like Mane or Mahrez. Someone who can create chances, shoot from outside and can also carry the ball and dribble…High intensity player that can create an imbalance in the opposition…
However, priority is still CB, DM and CM according to me.
As for AMN, I think he ll be great as a right CM cover and with RN coming back, we are also cover at RW. We have Iwobi on the left as a back up option. We do need a good played up front that is good in the air and I d go for Mitrovic or Haller. Sturridge I wouldn’t go for.
Aubameyang tend to go on the left and he always said he doesn’t have a problem playing there so they bought can be in the team
We need more than good with those awful VAR decision
What able the stupid hand ball rule do these idiots who make the rules play football
Rc78 what very interesting u think we should get a DM , isn’t torreira or DM
Am currently thinking if we go 433 then the midfield would be some like mesut torriera and AMN, 2nd string midfield would be something like douzi, xhaka and ESR
If we get the the guy from the post do we need another striker since we would have 3
https://streamable.com/yilvv
Thanks for that Fred, I’m not sure that VAR itself is the problem, but the issue is we still have the same plonkers making the decisions.
Even if it gets some decisions right according to the new, ridiculous rules, VAR will ruin the spirit of our beautiful game.
We the people who pay the wages are not allowed to be involved in the decision. Once we had one (possibly three) blind bastards to abuse. Now we dont even know where they are sitting, ruining our day!!
And just to add a little cherry on the top for discussion. If Lukaku is valued as this morning, we should demand £120m from Manure for Aubang, and sell him, for definite!
Morning, breakfast club.
75m for Lukaku, did I read that right?!! Sheesh!!
West Brom & Celtic are interested in Jenko.. he’s 27 😮 didn’t think he was that old. About time he got some regular football before he has to retire! Maybe we could swap him with Tierney 😏
Bloody hell, the Argies only scraped a draw! They’ll be out at this rate! Friend on another blog said to me that Messi turns into Giroud when he plays for them 🤣 brilliant!!
Sergio seriously needs to pull his finger out 😜
Morning,
Els — my comment about abbreviations was only a tease — I like pulling Sue’s leg. I use abbreviations all the time. 😜
Sue, the Lukaku thing shows the dreadful effect money has on football — it is not his fault of course — but consider, when Pogba left Manure to join Juve, it did not take long for him to rejoin Manure allegedly for £90m (?) his agent got £30m (?) in fees for ‘facilitating it.
As it is the transfer season, perhaps they thought – gee that last transfer payout was a wheeze, let’s get a transfer back to Juve and double up. The Yo-Yo affect.
Hey RA.. you leave my leg (& after yesterday other body parts 😜) out of this 🤣 we’re here to discuss football haha!!
Sue,
There I was thinking Arsenal were going to announce the signing of Saliba any day now. Well the rumours said so. Now the Daily Express says Arsenal are about to make their first bid to St Ettienne for him.
It’s not fair that an innocent fan – me – who believes everything he reads, should be abused in this way.
Take a rumour about me as a contrast. My friends agreed that I was about to tell them I had bought a Ferrari — then I told them I was only thinking about it — then I told them that I had thought about it, and realised that for a £340,000 Ferrari I was £339,999 short. See, that’s clear, none of the opacity the media are when paying with my Arsenal feelings. 😳
Naturally I had started the Ferrari rumour — but no one believed me anyway, as it turned out. Cheek!
Sue,
I did not watch the Scotland women’s game, but the goals, and especially the retaken penalty has been shown over and over again this morning, and commented on by the radio programmes too.
Looking at the VAR clip – not that I was particularly interested – the GK was 2 feet off the goal line, breaking the rules. Don’t understand what the problem is — apart from Scotland blowing a 3 : 0 lead with only 15 minutes to go.
Did you see the game? What did I miss?
RA.. like I said yesterday – Le Coq said you only have to go by Ornstein, his tea leaves or pasty crumbs.. i think he has a point there 😄
Oh I’d have believed every darn word of your Ferrari rumour – on your wages, surely you must be readying a bid to buy out Stan 😉
I was on about the men, RA.. didn’t see the women’s game, obviously I saw the result – screwed by VAR.. I thought the women’s game was going to be different – with regards to dodgy decisions & ooh ah VAR and all that, but it seems it’s defo on par with the men’s!!
You missed the thighs!!
Sadly, Sue, my impecuniosity is legendary among my friends! 🥺
When you mentioned Le Coq, it made me grin — he is really amusing, and in the ‘old’ days on here, he and Terry together could have been professional comedians.
I often see Coqie on Highbury House and he isn’t too rude! 🤪
Morning all
We have a New Post …………………
27 damn he as his prime now surely we should keep him
Turns into giroud tell them I say go F themselves no way messi can be that handsome
Fred – why are you responding on the old post?
Was just responded to sues post