A young, goal-scoring, electric forward from the world’s most successful footballing nation is usually all it takes to have ‘the next Ronaldo, Ronaldinho or Romario’ tag touted to be emerging from the favelas of Sao Paolo and Rio. But the emergence of Gabriel Martinelli as a target for Premier League heavyweights Arsenal has flown under the radar and avoided these hyperbolic labels.
This tactical analysis will give you an insight into this great Brazilian prospect.
The background before the bargain
The story behind Martinelli’s imminent London arrival has come from out of the blue to most Gunners supporters. The links to former Gunner Edu joining the club in the technical director role has been rumored to have influenced the decision to move for the youngster.
The relationship between Arsenal and the success of its South American signings has been one of severe fluctuation. The standout success story is the lynchpin of the ‘Invincibles’ side Gilberto Silva but he was followed by a plethora of underperforming signings such as Denilson, Andre Santos and more recently Gabriel Paulista. So, what is it about Martinelli that has made the red half of North London return to the southern hemisphere to pan for gold?
Like many Brazilians, the art of football is learned on the street and progressing into the 5-a-side Futsal courts. This is where Martinelli’s development into the sport began. Playing for Corinthians’ Futsal team, before the step up to senior football with Ituano. Martinelli made a name for himself as an exciting technical forward, leading to a 2017 trial period with Manchester United. The trial did not end with a deal but the experience had a profound effect on the player’s evolution.
Now 2 years older and after further development, Martinelli has progressed his ability in several areas which has now earned him interest from across Europe. A natural in finessed finishing and strong link-up play, it is not a coincidence a side, accredited with eye-catching free-flowing football, such as Arsenal would be interested in his signature.
The goals
Whilst scoring 30-yard screamers at a young age certainly catches the attention of wider audiences with the spread of videos across social media, those who ply their trade on diminutive finishing often fly under the radar. Martinelli’s quiet but consistent progression of his scoring accolades has allowed him to dodge the spotlight, yet not so much as to be underappreciated.
In 2019, Martinelli played in both the Campeonato Paulista and Sao Paulo Youth Cup and in 18 games across both competitions the Brazilian scored 12 goals, all before his 18th Birthday.
Playing both centrally and out to the left, his finish of choice is often coming in from a wider position to curl a shot past the opposition keeper. Close ball control and deft touches allow close control before administering a killer strike.
As shown in the heat maps below, the dominance of his deployment on the left-hand side of the field has been a key feature of his time at Ituana. Often thought of in several media outlets linking the forward with a move to Arsenal as a striker, it is more likely he would be in direct competition with Alex Iwobi and fellow youth player Bukayo Saka – the latter of which has reportedly received interest from numerous German clubs. A position in which goals have been desperately needed.
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