Arsenal open contract talks with ‘talent of the century’ who Jurgen Klopp hailed as a special player

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With the January transfer window now over, Arsenal are looking to the future, with plans in place for the building of the squad.

Mikel Arteta didn’t add any new players to his team over the winter, despite insisting that a forward could be needed in the market.

There were a few Hale End academy exits, but overall it was a quiet transfer window for Arsenal as they look to take stock again before the summer.

While a striker appears high on the list for targets, along with a winger and a midfielder, there are some other priorities too.

New contracts within the squad have become a focus as some players enter the final years of their deal at the Emirates Stadium.

With that in mind, it seems as though talks have already opened over some improved contracts.

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Arsenal open new contract talks with Gabriel Martinelli

While there will be plenty of focus on signing new players to improve the squad, Mikel Arteta will be keen to keep the core of his players together for another Premier League title push.

Among those who have been important to the Arsenal boss is Gabriel Martinelli, who has been a regular feature under the manager.

The Brazilian burst onto the scene at a young age and has been a regular feature on the left wing for the Gunners.

So far this season, Martinelli has come under some criticism, having struggled to have the same output as previous campaigns.

Nonetheless, he is viewed as an important squad member, which is reflected in the recent attempts to keep him at the club.

According to GiveMeSport, Arsenal have opened talks with Martinelli in an effort to keep him at the club long-term.

The 23-year-old has a contract with the Gunners until 2027 – with an option of an extra year that can take him to 2028.

Those years come dwindling quickly though and the early talks will come with an effort to keep Martinelli in the squad for the long term.

With plenty of big years ahead of him, Martinelli could still play a massive part in the future success they hope to enjoy.

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Jurgen Klopp once praise Gabriel Martinelli as “talent of the century”

When signing from Brazilian outfit Ituano in 2019, Arsenal were hopeful they had a gem on their hands with Martinelli.

His frightening pace and clinical finishing made the Brazilian a scary prospect from the very start, making an instant impact.

He featured in Arsenal’s 5-5 draw with Liverpool in the 2019 League Cup, scoring twice to fully announce himself on the big stage.

It led to some huge praise from Jurgen Klopp, who said at the time: “Martinelli’s pretty much the same age [as Sepp van den Berg at Liverpool] but he’s a talent of the century.

“He’s an incredible striker, so it’s really difficult.”

While Martinelli has certainly lived up to some of that, there will be plenty hoping he can take it to the next level.

When looking isolated on the left, the winger has struggled to create something from nothing, which is a side of the game he may need to add.

However, there are plenty of years of development ahead of him to add even more to his repertoire.