Gabriel Martinelli has revealed that David Luiz remains much-missed by the Arsenal squad, more than a year after he departed the club.
Luiz spent two seasons at the Emirates after being signed from Chelsea for £8million. He was a regular starter in his first season with the Gunners, making 40 appearances in all competitions as they won the FA Cup, with Luiz starting the final against his former club.
His opportunities diminished in his second campaign and he made just one appearance in Arsenal's final nine Premier League games. At the end of the 2020/21 season, Luiz left the Gunners on a free transfer, eventually returning home to his native Brazil to sign for Flamengo.
While he was overlooked by Mikel Arteta towards the end of his time at the club, it appears that the Brazilian remains a much-loved former player. That is according to Martinelli, who revealed that Luiz played a crucial role in his development.
"He is a sensational man, a man who deserves everything he achieved and a person everybody here misses. He was quite important to me when I arrived, giving me advice on my moves," Martinelli told The Times of his compatriot.
"At that moment, I was playing more of a striker role, so I was always close to him in training sessions and he would give me guidance. I still have many years to grow as a player, but I think in these three years my style of playing and my tactical understanding of it has changed completely."
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At the time of his departure, Arsenal boss Arteta admitted to having mixed feelings about allowing Luiz to leave. The Spaniard hailed the centre-back and insisted it had been a "privilege" to work with him.
"He is a player that has won everything in football and has earned every right to do so because of who he is as a player and as a person. I had the privilege to work with him for 18 months, which I really enjoyed," Arteta said of the former Paris Saint-Germain defender.
"We got on really well, we had some great moments together, he has been really helpful, someone that we really like and appreciate so much, so I just say thank you to him and wish him the best of luck in his next chapter.
"When you get to know the person, his background, where he was raised in Brazil, what he's done to get to this point, it's remarkable. Then you understand a lot of these things have happened for a reason.
"It's not just an ability, a quality or determination, it's many other factors. I've really enjoyed learning from him. He's been very helpful every time with the team, and I feel sadness as well because you get attached to the players emotionally."
Luiz is now starring for Flamengo, making 41 appearances so far this season, with the Rubro-Negro fifth in Serie A. Martinelli, meanwhile, is likely to start when Arsenal host Liverpool in a mouth-watering clash on Sunday, three days after a Europa League contest against Bodo/Glimt.
