Arsenal need Martinelli - but not the one you might be thinking of...

Matheus Martinelli

Arsenal need Martinelli - but not the one you might be thinking of: Could Mikel Arteta bring the teenage Brazilian sensation to the Premier League in the summer transfer window?

By Adam Le Roux

Why just have one Martinelli when you can have two?

While Gabriel was banging one in against Sheffield United yesterday, Arsenal have also been keeping tabs on his namesake Matheus - who has been catching the eye in Brazil.

The 19-year-old plies his trade for Fluminense in the Brazilian Serie A, and has reportedly been approached by the Gunners ahead of a summer switch to the Emirates.

But apart from sharing a surname with one of the most promising players at the club at the moment, what else do we know about the teenage sensation?

All-action and box to box

Since making his first team debut for the club back in December, Martinelli has been something of a mainstay in the Fluminense midfield, having netted three times in his 11 appearances since.

The teenager’s ability to ghost past opponents with so much grace and poise has caught the eye of a number of suitors despite so few appearances, as he looks to be the next player to leave for Europe from the Brazilian side.

Everton’s Richarlison is just one such name that has played in the white, green and garnet stripes in his homeland before making the move to the Premier League, with many tipping Martinelli to be just as successful as his compatriot if not more so.

The midfielder plays with an intelligence that almost belies his tender years, with the thought and vision to unlock a defence with a single pass - with his pinpoint accuracy knocking the ball near or far often the lynchpin to his side’s attacks.

Richarlison

It’s not just with the ball that the midfield maestro excels though, with his tenacity to win the ball back when possession is lost almost as impressive as his skills with the ball at his feet.

The 19-year-old isn’t one to shirk his defensive responsibilities, and looks to fit right into Arteta’s sort of philosophy with his eagerness to get the ball back when possession is lost.

Matheus mixes up the midfield

Martinelli looks to be the perfect blend of all of Arsenal’s current midfielders combined, with the tenacity to win the ball of a Granit Xhaka or a Thomas Partey, while being as elegant in possession as Martin Odegaard or Bukayo Saka.

Despite already netting three times since his debut - including a brace in a 3-0 win over Goias in February - Martinelli is keen to add even more goals to his game, while setting them up for teammates on a regular basis, which is music to any Arsenal fan’s ears.

Brazil aren’t known for their carpet-like pitches like many Premier League stadiums offer up these days, but the midfielder’s ability to control the ball and run with it at ease proves just how comfortable he is in possession - just imagine what he can do on the Emirates lawn.

With Odegaard’s future still up in the air heading into the summer - with Real Madrid yet to make a decision whether they want to keep the Norwegian international or not - Martinelli looks like a tailor-made replacement in the Gunners’ midfield, and Arteta and Edu need to act quickly to get their man.

He won’t come cheap

Fluminense are no mugs when it comes to bargaining for their players, and look to have learned their lesson after Richarlison moved for an absolute snip at £11.2 million when he made the move to Watford in 2017.

Therefore, Martinelli isn’t going to be leaving for peanuts, with the Brazilian club sticking in a £35 million release clause for their star, which could be a stumbling block for the Arsenal hierarchy to deal with.

With £45m splashed out on Partey last summer, Arsenal have never been a club to continually open the cheque book, and the hefty price tag could scupper the deal if there is no leeway on the price.

With a contract that lasts until 2024 it isn’t as if Martinelli can be lured away on the cheap in the coming months either, but in the current market it has to be seen as a worthwhile investment for someone who could be tearing up trees in the Premier League in the not too distant future.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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