“He reminds me of Ronaldo” – Ronaldinho’s old comments on Arsenal man resurface after incredible run of form
Arsenal starlet Gabriel Martinelli’s hot streak has compelled netizens to dig up an old Ronaldinho interview. In that video, the former Barcelona legend can be seen comparing Martinelli to Ronaldo Nazario.
In the 2020 interview, Ronaldinho mentioned how much Martinelli reminded him of Ronaldo and compared the two forwards’ knack of holding on to the ball.
The Arsenal number 35 has netted four goals and provided two assists in his last six Premier League games. He has looked sharp, focused and determined to recapture his debut-season form, where he scored 10 goals and provided five assists in all competitions.
Martinelli has 3 goals and 2 assists in december⏳ https://t.co/0jWsiyAOYn
A knee injury saw him miss the majority of the games last season, which hindered his progression at Arsenal. Fortunately, the Arsenal winger has now completely recovered and is supposedly starting to look a lot like Ronaldinho’s old teammate, Ronaldo.
In light of the Arsenal player’s recent performances, Ronaldinho’s old interview has found its way back into the spotlight. The 2005 Ballon d’Or winner had claimed that Martinelli’s goalscoring traits were akin to Ronaldo's. The former Barcelona player claimed that Martinelli was fearless like Ronaldo and always wanted to be on the ball.
As per the Mirror Football interview, Ronaldinho had said:
"He reminds me of Ronaldo. In his first season in Europe, he scored 30 goals and people were thinking, ‘who is this 18-year-old Brazilian kid? He wanted the ball, he would run at players, there was no fear no matter what players or team he was playing against – and I see that similar attitude in Martinelli. He just wants to be on the ball and score goals."
Since joining Arsenal, Martinelli has taken part in 62 games for the Gunners, registering 25 goals involvement across all competitions.
Arsenal going after striker who has matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s record
If reports are to be believed, Arsenal are in the market for a new center-forward, and Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic has emerged as a clear favorite. The player is currently valued at around €80 million, which could complicate proceedings for the north London club.
Arsenal and Tottenham are reportedly on red alert after Dusan Vlahovic apparently rejected a HUGE new Fiorentina contract https://t.co/aVrovJc2wx
Vlahovic, who has matched Ronaldo’s record goal tally in Serie A (33) this season, is also reportedly interested in a change of scenery. The willingness of the player can technically smoothen the deal for the Gunners if and when they decide to make a move.