Gabriel Martinelli Signs New Long-Term Arsenal Contract

Arsenal have confirmed that Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium.

The 19-year-old was an under-the-radar signing last summer but has since blossomed into a first-team regular for Arsenal, racking up ten goals and four assists in all competitions.

Confirming the deal on the club's official website, manager Mikel Arteta admitted that he is excited to see what the future holds for both Martinelli and Arsenal as a result of this deal.

"I am very happy that Gabi has signed a new contract with us," the boss said. "He is a very talented young player and he has impressed us with his performances, attitude and work-rate. We are looking forward to getting him back to full fitness and to watching his development at our club."

Just one year and one day after first joining the club, Martinelli has proven exactly why Arsenal were so determined to land the Brazilian in the first place.

Initially made to wait for his opportunities under Unai Emery, Martinelli wasted little time in forcing his way into Arteta's plans, starting in six of his last seven appearances before injuries began to slow his progress.

His rise to prominence was so impressive that Real Madrid were rumoured to be considering launching a £50m bid, so it's not hard to see why Arsenal have worked tirelessly to ensure he remains at the Emirates.

This latest development is further proof of Arsenal's desire to turn their attention to young players. Bukayo Saka, who has impressed at left-back in his debut season, recently penned his own lucrative extension, with Arteta keen to build for the future.

The boss has regularly spoken of the long-term project at Arsenal, encouraging fans to be patient and allow the team to rebuild and improve in the future, and tying Martinelli down for a number of years will go a long way to helping realise that ambition.

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Source : 90min