Gabriel Martinelli has opened up on a touching moment with former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang that will 'stay with him forever'.
Martinelli has enjoyed a strong season with the Gunners so far, which resulted in him being called up to Tite's 26-man Brazil World Cup squad. Martinelli isn't the only Arsenal star in the team, though, as striker Gabriel Jesus is also joining him, with the pair enjoying a fine start to the season in the Premier League.
The Brazilian winger has scored crucial goals for Mikel Arteta's side this season after replacing Emile Smith Rowe in the starting lineup, registering seven goal contributions in 20 appearances in the first half of the season. Arteta's side have managed to build a five-point gap on reigning champions Manchester City with the Premier League football set to resume on Boxing Day next month.
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In a recent interview with The Players' Tribune, Martinelli explained his decision to snub Manchester United and Barcelona to join Arsenal, describing a touching moment between himself and Aubameyang after he arrived at the Emirates Stadium in 2019. The Brazil international said: "I remember that I went to lunch, there was, for example, where I was afraid because I didn't speak English.
"I would think, 'Imagine if someone sat next to me and talked to me, what would I say? I was embarrassed, right, because the person speaks, you want to speak, but you can't.
"I sat down to eat, and then Aubameyang arrived. I thought, 'now what?' Then he sat down next to me and started talking to me in Spanish.
"A good guy, I think that moment… I was very nervous. Like for him, it was something normal. Maybe he doesn't even remember this, but for me, arriving at the club now, Auba coming to talk to you, sitting at the table with you, it was something that will stay with me forever."
Aubameyang captained the Gunners before falling out with Arteta, leading to the Gabonese striker being stripped of the armband before being sold to Barcelona in the January transfer window earlier this year. The 33-year-old was punished for a number of disciplinary issues, which saw his career at the Emirates Stadium come to an end, with Aubameyang now back in the Premier League after completing a Deadline Day move to Chelsea.
The Gunners have gone from strength to strength since Aubameyang's exit despite missing out on a top-four spot at the end of last season. Martinelli has been one of the many catalysts for the improvement in performances and results as the Brazilian now targets World Cup success in Qatar.
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