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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has ruled out the possibility of sending Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli out on loan in January. Martinelli was reportedly keen on a loan stint for the second half of the season in order to get regular playing time.
Martinelli has started just four games for Arsenal this season, half of which have come in the League Cup. He has failed to find the back of the net or provide an assist in the 300+ minutes he has spent on the pitch.
The Brazilian has dropped behind the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the pecking order but Mikel Arteta still has faith in the 20-year-old.
Asked if the youngster could go out on loan in the January window, Arteta said such a possibility had never entered his mind.
"No I'm very happy with him. We're not thinking of anything like that," Arteta said.
Ronaldinho backs Gabriel Martinelli to do well at Arsenal
Arsenal fans, as well as Brazilians, have high hopes for Gabriel Martinelli. Brazil legend Ronaldinho even went to the extent of comparing Martinelli to Ronaldo Nazario, who is widely considered one of the greatest forwards in the history of the game.
"We as Brazilians are very excited about him and his future. It is one thing to have the talent, but another at the age of 18 to have the confidence. He reminds me of Ronaldo. His first season in Europe, he scored 30 goals and people were thinking: 'who is this 18-year-old Brazilian kid?' Ronaldinho was quoted as saying by The Mirror.
"He wanted the ball, he would run at players, there was no fear no matter what players or team he was playing against—and I see that similar attitude in Martinelli. He just wants to be on the ball and score goals. Ronaldo went on to be the best player in the world, and that can also be the aim of Martinelli."
Arsenal travel to face Leicester City this weekend in the Premier League before hosting Watford. After a disastrous start to the season, Arsenal have managed to climb up to 10th and are just three points behind fourth-placed West Ham United.
