When Arsenal signed an 18 year old from the Brazilian fourth division last summer, most of us hoped he could develop into an exciting first team player for us over time.
There weren’t many – even inside the club – who expected him to have the kind of impact he has in such a short space of time. In 26 appearances he has 10 goals and 4 assists, and although he hasn’t featured since the restart, he remains our second highest scorer in all competitions this season.
His reward for that was a new contract, signed yesterday with a healthy pay rise to reflect his contribution, and nobody can argue it wasn’t merited.
Nevertheless, it has come as a bit of a surprise, something acknowledged by Technical Director Edu – a fellow Brazilian who knows exactly how tough it can be to come to England from South America.
Asked if he had been taken aback by the impact of his young compatriot, he told the official website, “Yes, 100 per cent. I am surprised too because I know how difficult it is if you live in Brazil, to come to here and straight away adapt the way he has.
“As I say, the plan with Martinelli was to start with the under-23s, be with the first team in pre-season, then come back to the under-23s.
“But in that pre-season he already showed how important he’s going to be for the team. It’s quite similar, at that point, it’s a quite similar situation to Bukayo.
“When you are talking about behaviour, attitude, mentality, family, so it’s really nice, really nice. I met as well his family, and I saw properly how nice they are, how educated Martinelli has been during that period.”
The former Invincible also had some words of praise for Academy Manager Per Mertesacker, and the work he and his team are doing at that level.
“The academy is doing a proper job, the coaches from the academy are doing a proper job, the performance guys as well because you have to prepare the players to be strong to stay in the first team,” said Edu.
“Then of course, the quality of the guys in the first team. To see and to do the right process with the players because at times if you push too much it’s not good for the players.
“You have to understand the right time to start training, the right time to start to including the players on the bench and the right time to expose the player to play football for the first team.
“The process is a very big piece for everybody, it has to be done properly, we are working really hard to pay attention on that part, to see even more from the players that we get from the academy.”
To not sound too cocky I ‘sort of’ knew he was ready (at least mentally which is so important) to eat whoever up.
He’s in the ‘Thierry’ category of this my classification here (link below). They’re early bloomers because decision making is more ‘selfish’ and easier for them, I looked at his IG feed and saw he was already a quite grounded boy, with a fiancée or sth then.
https://arseblog.news/2020/07/arteta-reveals-how-guendouzi-can-get-back-on-the-boat/#comment-1249173
Great. If all clubs were to use only academy players I think we will be blessed. I know Martineli is not our academy product but is the Arsenal culture that I like. Trusting and developing young players is one of our DNA since the days of Wenger. From, Walcot, Ramsey, Oxlade Chamerlane, Guendouzi etc, we have been involved with young players and we gave them chances. I just hope we go out now and fix our midfield and defense so that we can close down the top 6 gap and start challenging again.
I like how you praise the academy then name 4 players who we signed from elsewhere haha
but no you are right whether we raise them from 9yo or bring them in before they are senior players arsenal is a place where youth can shine.
I think having per go straight from playing into running the academy has worked wonders. no offence to the best academy managers in the world, but If a guy like BFG who’s last game for the club was *a week* before he started this job thinks player x is good enough for first team football then i trust him more than a guy who’s been academy manager for x years. BFG will have his finger on the pulse when it comes to levels. the only thing id question when he was appointed is the book side of things. the mundane… Read more »
Love the surprised Edu face to go with the story.
what does edu do? we’ve a technical director a director of football a managing director. All aboard the arsenal gravy train.
Wow, he does speak! ?
He’s aliveeeeee!
Nice to hear from the Lesser Spotted Edu