Arsenal face Gabriel Martinelli dilemma amid new wage demands

Arsenal have a Gabriel Martinelli dilemma on their hands as they reportedly face the prospect of having to treble his wages if they want to keep him at the Emirates Stadium. The winger has been in scintillating form since the start of the campaign and has helped the Gunners storm to the top of the Premier League table.

Arsenal signed Martinelli from Brazilian club Ituano in the summer of 2019 when Unai Emery was in charge. And the 21-year-old has gone on to bag 22 goals and 15 assists in 95 appearances for the north London giants.

This season, he has started all 11 of Arsenal’s matches under Mikel Arteta and has formed a deadly attacking threesome alongside Bukayo Saka and summer signing Gabriel Jesus. And Martinelli has already racked-up four goals and two assists in the Premier League.

With the ace out of contract in the summer of 2024, Arsenal are desperate to tie him down to a new deal. But, according to the Daily Mail, the club will need to offer him around £200,000 per week to convince him to stay. That would put him on par with Jesus and Thomas Partey, who are the club’s highest earners.

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Martinelli, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea recently, ran the Liverpool defence ragged on Sunday as he contributed a goal and an assist to help his side beat the Reds 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium. And following the match the youngster addressed his future.

“Of course I want to stay,” he said. “We are talking. Let’s see what is going to happen. But I want to stay of course. I think it’s my best season here at Arsenal. I’m so happy for this moment.”

Arsenal’s win against Liverpool saw them leapfrog Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table once again. And they are now one point ahead of Pep Guardiola’s side ahead of their trip to Leeds on Sunday.

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