Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Kieran King

Gabriel Martinelli has given Mikel Arteta a fresh Arsenal dilemma ahead of Brentford opener

Gabriel Martinelli has returned to training with Arsenal ahead of their Premier League curtain-raiser against Brentford on Friday night.

The Brazilian forward had a successful summer with his country, as he helped them win gold at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Despite playing just 22 minutes, Martinelli scored a penalty in the semi-final victory over Mexico and looked very bright during that game.

His time with Brazil has given the 19-year-old some valuable winning experience which he can use to his advantage this season.

Although the Olympic final was only on Saturday, Martinelli has already made his way back to England and posted an Instagram story with the caption "back to work" at London Colney this afternoon.

Compatriot Gabriel Magalhães also posted an image with the gold medal despite not being involved due to injury.

Martinelli is the last of Arsenal's international stars to return to training from their summer tournaments after Bukayo Saka came back last week.

This could prove to be an important season for Martinelli, who has had his injury problems and struggled for regular minutes under Mikel Arteta last season.

In his debut campaign, Martinelli became one of the most sought after teenagers in Europe, as he scored ten goals and recorded four assists in just 26 appearances.

Despite a frustrating 2020/21, there's no doubt that the teenager has the capabilities of producing something special this term to guide Arsenal back into Europe.

Whether Arteta opts to use Martinelli out wide or more centrally, he has proved he can adapt into different positions with his performances against Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion in May.

Supporters will be hoping he can use his experience at the Olympics and his determination from a stop-start season to drive him to be one of the Gunners' key men this term.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.