Gabriel Martinelli is reportedly close to agreeing terms with on a bumper new Arsenal deal, with the Brazilian forward in line to pocket around £200,000-a-week.
Martinelli, 21, has enjoyed a rapid rise at the Emirates over the past 18 months and has evolved into one of the most influential players in Mikel Arteta's squad. The Gunners have been eager to reward the winger, who featured three times for Brazil at the World Cup, with fresh terms for months but were unable to come to an agreement before the tournament.
However, a breakthrough in negotiations has now been reached - and the two parties are said to be in 'advanced talks' with a view to finalising a deal soon.
That's according to The Daily Mail, who have revealed that Martinelli is set to almost treble his current pay packet. The former Ituano youngster currently earns around £70,000, but his new £200,000-a-week deal will give him parity with some of the club's top earners.
Although various clubs - including Barcelona and Liverpool - have been monitoring Martinelli's situation in recent months, the forward is believed to have informed his advisors that he was more than happy at Arsenal and that staying at the club was a 'priority'.
He even hinted as recently as last month that he was ready to commit his future to the club when he quipped that all he needed was a pen to get the deal done.
“I’m very happy at Arsenal,” he told reporters before the Gunners' Europa League meeting with FC Zurich. “I’ve said it many times. This is my club. I love to be here. I love the city, I love the club, I love everything about Arsenal. So I want to stay, I’m very happy.”
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When he was jokingly asked if he just needed a pen to seal the deal, he quipped: "Yeah, I just need a pen!"
The uncertainty over his long-term future in the build-up to the tournament has had little effect on Martinelli, who has spearheaded Arsenal's unlikely title charge with five goals and two assists already this term.
After losing just one league game so far this term, Arsenal were guaranteed to be top of the table at Christmas and will re-start their Premier League campaign with a five-point lead over reigning champions Manchester City.
The Gunners' title hopes have been dealt a major blow ahead of their match against West Ham next week after it was confirmed that star striker Gabriel Jesus could be sidelined for up to three months after undergoing knee surgery for an injury he sustained at the World Cup.
