Ben Guest
Gabriel Martinelli has named Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and David Luiz as two players who have helped him to settle in an Arsenal following his summer transfer.
The 18-year-old may have been one of the more understated signings of the summer – joining Arsenal from Brazilian side Ituano in a deal worth just over £5 million – but he opened his goalscoring account for the Gunners with a brace on debut in the 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest in midweek.
Speaking to media in his home country, the Brazilian admitted he was somewhat starstruck when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang acknowledged him on his first day at the club.
He told Globo Esporte: “It hadn’t sunk in yet. I arrived for lunch on the first day, I’m eating there, Aubameyang arrives and sits next to me, speaking Portuguese with me, ‘Tudo bem?’, trying to communicate.
“You see, the guy so good, humble. I was like: ‘Man, Aubameyang, who I saw on TV, came to talk to me!’
First goal at the Emirates on his first start for the club 👏🏼
It was a night to remember for 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli in the #CarabaoCup.#EFL | @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/xHSn35Lrfb
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) September 25, 2019
“He’s also a guy who gave me a lot of support at the club, trying to communicate with me. I have to thank everyone at the club. They’re very nice people.”
Martinelli added that Arsenal’s signing of his compatriot David Luiz was ‘exceptional’ for his development, as he is helping him to communicate with the club’s staff while he gets to grips with the English language.
“It was exceptional for me for David Luiz to come to the group, because he’s Brazilian and helps me in everything in communication with fitness coach, or something I have to do,” he added.
“If I have questions I ask him how he speaks. Sometimes I ask how he speaks so he doesn’t have to ask for me, so I can learn too, and he does help me.”
Read: Five of the biggest League Cup upsets in the competition’s history
See also: Five highest-scoring Brazilians in Premier League history