Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney has revealed just how impressed he is by Gabriel Martinelli and expects him to go on and have a big future.
It’s been a frustrating first season with the Gunners for the 22-year-old left-back, as injuries have limited him to just 11 appearances.
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In contrast, Martinelli has made an immediate impact as the Brazilian starlet has bagged 10 goals and four assists in 26 appearances.
Still only 18 years of age, he has his entire future ahead of him, and Tierney has revealed not only how impressed he was by Martinelli in his first training session at the club, but also how he predicts that he will go on to become world class moving forward.
“I would say Martinelli,” he is quoted as saying by Sky Sports, when asked which youngster at Arsenal can go on and become a star. “I think his hunger and drive and his talent together as one is more than enough to be a world-class player for many years.
“When I first did a full training session with the team I was put up against Martinelli and the intensity of his play was honestly mind-blowing and I thought to myself: this is the standard I need to be at to play for Arsenal.”
Tierney isn’t the first Arsenal player to predict a big future for Martinelli either, as seen in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s tweet below in January.
These are two individuals who have seen the Brazilian ace in training every day and know what he’s capable of as well as knowing him personally to see if he has the drive to become the best.
Given what they’ve both now said about him, Arsenal fans can surely be excited about what he can achieve moving forward if he continues on his current path.
Gabi’s gonna be a superstar ?? Not because of the Goal because of the attitude Energy and mindset ??
— Aubameyang P-E (@Aubameyang7) January 18, 2020