Arsenal Sign Teenage Striker Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal have completed their first transfer of the summer with the signing of Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli.
The 18-year-old forward has signed “a long-term contract”, the Gunners have confirmed.
Martinelli has joined from Brazilian side Ituano, where he had scored 10 goals in 34 games after making his debut in 2017.
“I model my game on Cristiano Ronaldo,” Martinelli said. “He is a player who works hard, pushing himself to the next level. Always in the run for titles and individual trophies.”
Gabriel has made rapid progress during his short time at Ituano. Since making his debut in November 2017 aged just 16 years and nine months, the young forward scored 10 goals from his 34 appearances for the Sao Paulo-based club.
The 18-year-old’s development was also recently acknowledged by the Brazilian national team, with a call-up to the full squad for a training camp in May ahead of the Copa America.
Gabriel was voted as the 2019 Best Newcomer and also a member of the 2019 Team of the Year for the Campeonato Paulista – the football league for the state of Sao Paulo.
The deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.
