Mikel Arteta has challenged Gabriel Martinelli to take his game to the next level by claiming the Brazil international can improve “in all departments”.
It was confirmed this morning that the 21-year-old had committed his long-term future to the club – a deal reported to last until 2027 with an option to extend by a year – after lengthy contract talks.
The manager is clearly delighted to tie down such an exciting talent and hopes other players in the squad will follow suit in due course.
“It’s great news, obviously we want to build on all the talent and the youth that we have in the squad so it’s great to see them happy and willing to commit to the club and what we want to do for the future.
“He’s a player with enormous potential that still has so many things to improve but has already performed at a really high level.
Asked how he expects Martinelli to develop, the managed continued: “I think, in all departments, to be fair.
“When you ask him, he can develop physically, he can develop mentally, he can develop in terms of consistency, he can develop defensively and develop in the final third and the spaces that he occupies.
“His numbers can be improved. He’s so willing, that’s the best thing about Gabi.”
Arteta’s next job is to persuade Bukayo Saka and William Saliba to join Martinelli in signing a new deal. Both have 18 months left to run on their current deals but are much coveted elsewhere.
“Part of the plan is to extend the contracts of our biggest talents at the club and commit them for the future,” said Arteta when asked about negotiations with the winger and centre-back.
“We are trying to do that and we’ve started with Gabi, which is good news. The others will be done whenever we can, but we have to agree on that.
“I see everybody really happy, really willing to continue to at the club but obviously we have to meet everybody’s expectations and timing is key on that.”
After it was confirmed earlier in the week that Mohamed Elneny, one of the club’s senior statesmen, was facing an “extended period” on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery, rumours quickly surfaced that the Gunners would take up an option to extend the Egypt international’s current contract for an additional year.
While Arteta wouldn’t confirm that such a decision had been made, he was clear that Arsenal knows its responsibility towards players, especially in their time of need.
He said: “Our way of treating people, our way of living together and what we expect from people is to give the maximum. When it’s the other way around and things become difficult, I think the club has to behave in the right way. We have some really good examples and we have to continue to do that.”
love this attitude
Classy. I recall AW doing the same with Carzola then with BFG. While football is a business treating people decently is an underrated virtue and The Arsenal have in spades.
This is one of the reasons I. Love this club. Humanity.
I was going to say, Cazorla absolutely springs to mind. These are the things you want to be know for as a club.
Whenever this club’s generosity and good treatment of it’s loyal servants is mentioned RVP, Abou Diaby, Rosicky, Wilshere and Santi come to mind. Great news that Mikel is an old boy who was here to witness it and therefore continue with the practice. Wenger DNA in the club innit
Such a change from recent years, I didn’t get these vibes under Emery or even the later Wenger years.
Love the positivity throughout the squad and the management team!!! Keep it going!
Under Emery no, but say what you will about the late Wenger era in footballing terms, but he was always, always, a class A human being with class A values. And remember this was also the era Arteta joined and played for the club, and pretty sure it was the biggest reason why he fell in love with it
That’s to say not just because of AW but the values and humanity that run throughout the whole club, which Wenger as the boss most represented and also instilled much more deeply in his time with us
Love it and proud of it! COYG!
That young man (Martinelli) is poised for the greater good.
“Our way of treating people, our way of living together and what we expect from people is to give the maximum. When it’s the other way around and things become difficult, I think the club has to behave in the right way. We have some really good examples and we have to continue to do that.”
This!
Hearing this from the boss makes you want to win every duel, even if it costs time on the sideline.
Think people on Twitter who want ESR sold need to be shown that!
Twitter always was, is and will be an echo chamber for opinionated shitehawks.
Mo’s contract extension on point, I expect nothing else, we always take care of our own in time of need, that’s what we do, we are a family, we are the ARSENAL!….let’s now march on and win this league!
Freaking love Mo. Such a classy dude to have around and also an underrated player.
Also the best piss taker at the club. That tweet he sent to Alexis when Chile didn’t qualify for the World Cup was legend. He wants to coach, we may very well see him at the Academy in the next couple of years.
The club extended also Santi’s contact when he was treating his horrible injury. This is the classy thing to do!
Class act. Loving the vibe.
Glad to know we still have class in our treatment of staff. Thought we lost it when we laid off Gunnersaurus and some staff during the pandemic (though it was tough on the Club, too, in terms of finance).
At least our Egyptian Pirlo can recuperate in peace if given an extension.😀
Egyptian Pirlo?
And this is why I’ll forever love The Arsenal.
Remember who you are, what you are and who you represent, DNA of this club we love and money can’t buy DNA
Things like this make me happy about this club. The football flow doesn’t hurt either.