GABRIEL MARTINELLI is Arsenal’s top young talent ahead of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, according to Martin Odegaard.
The Gunners are currently enjoying an influx of talented youngsters with a handful getting serious minutes under Mikel Arteta.
And Real Madrid loanee Odegaard reckons Martinelli, 19, will shine even more brightly than England ace Saka and fellow academy star Smith Rowe.
The Brazilian has been limited to just six Premier League games this season due to injury.
But despite that, Odegaard has seen enough in training to know Martinelli has a bright future.
The Norwegian claimed: “Obviously we have Bukayo and Emile and they are already playing so much.
“But I think one guy who hasn’t played that much lately is Martinelli.
“He’s such a big talent, you see him in training every day and you see it.
“He’s a really talented player with a lot of qualities.
“So I think definitely he’s one for the future. And he’s so young still, so I will go with him.”
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
Odegaard is tipping Martinelli to become one of the best players on the planet after seeing him hard at work in training.
The Real Madrid loanee continued: “He’s really young so he just has to keep working hard – as he’s doing every day in training.
“He will reach his goals because, from what I see every day in training, he’s a top, top talent.
“For him it’s just about continuing doing his work and then everything will come for him.”
Odegaard is by no means the only Arsenal player to wax lyrical about Martinelli, with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bernd Leno talking up his game in recent seasons.
After Martinelli scored in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United last January, Aubameyang tweeted: “Gabi’s gonna be a superstar.
“Not because of the goal because of the attitude, energy and mindset.”
Last summer, Leno added: “He can become a world class player.
“World class 100 per cent because he has talent, he has quality.”
⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
