Gabriel Martinelli is not good enough for Real Madrid, claims former defender William Gallas while urging Arsenal to extend his contract.
Mikel Arteta took his time integrating Gabriel Martinelli into the first team after taking over as Arsenal’s manager. It was only around midway through last season that the Brazilian got regular minutes in the side. And he has not looked back since.
From the start of the current season, Martinelli has become an integral part of Arteta’s plans. He has chipped in with four goals and two assists this term. And Arsenal are eager to extend his current deal and remain in advanced talks over a new contract.
As the contract talks progress, there are already whispers about rival teams throwing glances at the in-form attacker. Those include Real Madrid and Chelsea, which will somewhat worry Arsenal. Yet, the Gunners seem relaxed about the situation, considering Martinelli has a contract until 2024, with the club holding an option to extend it by two more years.
As for the links with Real Madrid, former Arsenal captain William Gallas has had his say. The Frenchman has suggested Martinelli is not good enough for the Spanish giants yet. He told talkSPORT that the Brazilian has a long way to go before even considering a move to the Bernabeu. Gallas also hopes Arsenal will sort out his contract sooner rather than later.
William Gallas suggests Gabriel Martinelli is not yet 'good enough' for Real Madrid #AFC https://t.co/MLt4qHun1Q
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) October 18, 2022
Gallas said, “I think Arsenal have to get that deal with Martinelli signed as quickly as possible. I’m sure he’s hearing so many things about him, like Real Madrid being interested. Sometimes the player can be confused. At the moment, I think he’s playing well, and Arsenal have to close that deal as soon as possible so he feels better in his mind.
“I don’t think he’s good enough for Real Madrid yet. In football, after two or three games, everyone is raving about that player, ‘he’s magnificent’ or ‘he’s a top-class player’. But no, calm down, let him have a great season and get to another level. He’s still young, and he’s only 21. But if he goes step-by-step, he can go to a club like Real Madrid, but right now, he’s not ready.”
Many fans will take those comments with a pinch of salt, but Gallas has a point here. Martinelli has only broken into this Arsenal side for around a year now, and fans will be expecting him to take his game to the next level. Moreover, they will hope he never joins Real Madrid and remains a Gunner all his life.
