Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli could once again lead the line for Arsenal in the Europa League this evening.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, as reported by football.london, Unai Emery confirmed that the player has been training in his new position this week.
Martinelli was deployed as a striker against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup to great success, so could this be a new role for the player?
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Martinelli arrived at Arsenal as an exciting wide player, but clearly Emery believes that he could add something to the team in a more central role.
If his performance against Forest is anything to by, the Spaniard could be onto something here.
He scored two very well-taken goals against the Championship high flyers and his finishing, albeit against weaker opposition, shouldn’t be overlooked.
The Brazilian’s versatility would also offer Emery a different option in the Europa League, should he wish to rest either Alexandre Lacazette or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Given his age and lack of experience, Martinelli may be forced into moving around positions in order to find a way into the team.
Arsenal do have a lot of exciting wide options, but there’s a lack of depth in the striker roles behind their two main men, so this could be a great opening for the youngster to make a mark in the squad.
