Gabriel Jesus Anoints Martinelli As Arsenal’s ‘Best Player

Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has officially named his compatriot Gabriel Martinelli as the single best player in Mikel Arteta’s squad at the current moment.

The declaration, made during an in-depth interview with Romario TV, comes as a powerful endorsement from a two-time Premier League winner who has shared a dressing room with global superstars at Manchester City.

Jesus, who joined Arsenal from City in 2022, did not hesitate when asked to single out the team’s most influential performer. While acknowledging the wealth of talent in North London, the Brazilian center-forward pointed firmly to the 23-year-old winger.

“There are a few [candidates], but I think I will go with Martinelli,” Jesus stated, before taking fans on a trip down memory lane to the first time he witnessed Martinelli’s raw potential.

According to Jesus, their story began not at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground, but during Brazil’s preparations for the 2019 Copa America. At that time, Jesus was already an established senior international, while Martinelli was a largely unknown teenager still plying his trade in Brazil’s fourth division with Ituano FC.

“I first saw him, funny enough, during the 2019 Copa America preparation,” Jesus recalled. “The national team always calls up young players from the youth teams to come and train with us, right? There was this good young left winger. I said, ‘Wow, what a good kid.’”

Jesus described how Martinelli’s fearless attitude and electrifying pace immediately stood out among more seasoned professionals. “Even at 18, he wasn’t scared. He was taking on full-backs, pressing like a machine. You could see the fire,” Jesus added.

That same “fire” convinced Arsenal to sign Martinelli from Ituano FC later in 2019 for a modest fee of around £6 million—a transfer now viewed as one of the biggest bargains in Premier League history. Since then, Martinelli has evolved into a lethal forward, known for his blistering acceleration, defensive work rate, and clinical finishing, including a career-best 15 league goals during the 2022-23 season.

Jesus concluded by praising Martinelli’s consistency and hunger, noting that the young winger has only grown stronger since their days as national teammates. “Now, at Arsenal, he is the best. He decides games. For me, that kid from 2019 is now a man, and he is our top player.”

The comment has sparked debate among Arsenal supporters, with some arguing for captain Martin Ødegaard or defensive rock William Saliba.

However, Jesus’s emphatic backing of his fellow Brazilian underscores Martinelli’s growing stature as the heartbeat of Arteta’s attack.