Martinelli not considering Arsenal exit, confirms father
Martin Macdonald
- 12 Nov 2021 11:10 GMT
- 5 min read
Gabriel Martinelli will not be leaving Arsenal for a return to Brazil in January, according to the player's father.
The young winger remains well thought of at the Emirates, but has found first team football hard to come by this season after recovering from injury.
This season he has started just two matches in the Premier League and made five appearances overall for a total of 159 minutes.
Since moving to Arsenal in 2019, injuries have limited him to 15 Premier League starts.
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He has been linked with a move to former club Corinthians on loan, but his father insists this will not happen.
"There is no chance of him going to Corinthians or any other Brazilian club!" Joao Martinelli told reporters, as detailed by Yahoo.
"Since he came back from an injury, he's been playing a lot less than he would have liked. They even painted some proposals from Europe, but Arsenal has already warned that they will not release him.
"People like him a lot. Not only for what he plays, but also for his dedication. Martinelli is almost always the first to arrive for training and the last to leave."
Ronaldinho's praise for Martinelli
Martinelli may not have found his best form at Arsenal yet, but he has a famous fan in the form of Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho, who has previously suggested the youngster is like another legend in Ronaldo.
"It is one thing to have the talent, but another at the age of 18 to have the confidence," he said.
"He reminds me of Ronaldo. In his first season in Europe, he scored 30 goals and people were thinking, ‘Who is this 18-year-old Brazilian kid?’
"He wanted the ball, he would run at players, there was no fear no matter what players or team he was playing against – and I see that similar attitude in Martinelli."
