Gabriel Martinelli is always willing to do more and is not afraid to take risks, asserts Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta has admitted that Gabriel Martinelli's willingness to take risks and ability to train hard is what impresses him the most. The Brazilian winger has become a talismanic presence for the Gunners in recent weeks, as he has scored four times in his last six league appearances.
Gabriel Martinelli cemented his status as one of the hottest prospects in football during his stint in Brazil. Arsenal won the race for his signature and bought the Brazilian attacker in the summer of 2019 for a reported fee of ÂŁ6 million. The 20-year-old has made 62 appearances for the Gunners so far while scoring 16 goals and registering nine assists across all competitions. The Brazilian suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action during the midst of the campaign, but made his return into Arteta's side in recent weeks.
Martinelli has exploded into life in recent weeks, as he has scored four times in his last six league games. The Brazilian was on target for the London club in their last two fixtures as he opened the scoring against West Ham on Thursday and went on to score a double against Leeds on Saturday. Arteta has praised the young attacker and talked up his abilities that separate him from the pack.
"He (Martinelli) trains incredibly hard, he is always willing to do more and he is not scared or afraid to take risks - and that is what I like about him. You cannot play every action at 100mph, it is impossible. It is not very efficient for you because you burn yourself out after a few minutes, and then you're just chasing a situation and not reading exactly what is needed,” Arteta told Sky Sports.
“Gabi is doing much better at that. We have to try to do that without losing the passion, the energy and this capacity he has to just affect the game with the way he acts on the pitch," he added.