Emile Heskey has explained why he’d love to see Liverpool make a move for ‘fantastic’ Arsenal attacker Gabriel Martinelli after the footballer surprised Joel Matip at the Emirates.
The Brazilian, who netted and registered an assist in the Gunners’ recent 3-2 victory over the Anfield outfit, has been in sensational form for Mikel Arteta’s side and already has six goal contributions in nine Premier League appearances this term.
At just 21 years of age, the Brazil international is already one of Arsenal’s most important players and Heskey has admitted he’d love to see the winger at Anfield even if a move to a league rival is highly unlikely.
“I can’t see Arsenal letting Gabriel Martinelli go any time soon, but he’d definitely be someone I would be looking at if I was Liverpool,” Heskey told Ladbrokes (via the Liverpool Echo). “If you look at that aggression in his game, and the way he’s played so far this season, there aren’t many out there with his ability. He’s up and down the pitch, non-stop, for 90 minutes. He’s got the ability to drive at players, pull them in and out of positions.
“He’s confident and comfortable on the ball to a point where, as a defender, you aren’t quite sure whether he’s going to have a shot, put a cross in or take you on. He’s a fantastic player, and someone who everyone would love to play with and hate to play against. He gives you no time whatsoever.
“There was a time in the game on Sunday where Joel Matip was dealing with a ball in the air, it looked like he had complete control, and then out of nowhere Martinelli comes in, closes him down and took the ball off him. He got his body in the way, and he’s a strong lad these days, so once he’s in that position, he’s hard to beat. That was from something which wasn’t even a 50-50 ball; it was more a 70:30 ball in Matip’s favour.
“Players like that, you’re always going to want in your team.”
You could argue that the Arsenal No. 11 is similar to Reds favourite Luis Diaz with his impressive work rate and pacy direct style of play. Martinelli certainly has you on the edge of your seat when you’re watching him.
If the winger continues to impress for the Gunners this term then you’d expect some of Europe’s biggest clubs to be interested in his signature at the end of the season.
We already know that Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of the former Ituana man, telling the club’s official website back in 2019 that he was ‘a talent of the century’.
The North London side has begun the season extremely well, however, and Martinelli may view the Emirates as the best place for him to continue developing as a footballer.
Arsenal are top of the Premier League at the moment and already find themselves 14 points ahead of Liverpool.
The Merseysiders host Manchester City on Sunday where a victory could prove to be a real turning point in their season – we certainly hope so.