Arsenal newcomer Pablo Mari is excited to play alongside teenage sensation Gabriel Martinelli and has backed him to become a “top player”.
Martinelli has burst onto the scene in England this season after joining Arsenal from Brazilian side Ituano FC in the summer.
The 18-year-old has scored 10 goals this season and he has firmly established himself in the Gunners’ first-team squad.
Mari has now joined the forward from Brazil by joining Arsenal on loan from Brazilian club Flamengo in January.
Martinelli is big news back in the country of his birth and Mari is convinced the teenager is destined for the top.
“He has exploded on to the scene and is showing that he’s a great player with a lot of talent,” the defender told Arsenal Player.
“Obviously he’s still very young, but he’s already had a taste of playing at the top level and he’s doing very well.
“I’ll say congratulations when I meet him, but now he just needs to keep it up and work hard because he’s really talented.
“Martinelli has shown he is a bit different to any other player in terms of his ability. He has great vision and there’s real talent there in terms of his dribbling and his ability to choose the right play.
“His decision-making is improving all the time. Martinelli still has a lot more to show but he has incredible talent and I think gradually he’ll keep developing and become a top player."
