Emile Heskey admits he would love his former club Liverpool to sign Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli.
Brazilian forward Martinelli has been one of Arsenal’s most influential players this season, scoring four goals and making two assists to help the Gunners climb to the top of the Premier League.
The 21-year-old starred in Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Liverpool last weekend, scoring the opener inside 60 seconds and then supplying the assist for Bukayo Saka’s goal on the stroke of half-time.
Heskey has been impressed by Martinelli’s performances this season and says Liverpool should ‘definitely’ look at signing the Brazil international.
Liverpool have made a poor start to the season – winning just two of their eight league games to slip to 10th in the Premier League – and appear to be missing Sadio Mane, who left Anfield to join Bayern Munich last summer.
Heskey told : ‘I can’t see Arsenal letting Gabriel Martinelli go any time soon, but he’d definitely be someone I would be looking at if I was Liverpool.
‘If you look at that aggression in his game, and the way he’s played so far this season, there aren’t many out there with his ability.
‘He’s up and down the pitch, non-stop, for 90 minutes. He’s got the ability to drive at players, pull them in and out of positions.
‘He’s confident and comfortable on the ball to a point where, as a defender, you aren’t quite sure whether he’s going to have a shot, put a cross in or take you on.
‘He’s a fantastic player, and someone who everyone would love to play with and hate to play against. He gives you no time whatsoever.
‘There was a moment in the game on Sunday where Joel Matip was dealing with a ball in the air, it looked like he had complete control, and then out of nowhere Martinelli comes in, closes him down and took the ball off him.
‘He got his body in the way, and he’s a strong lad these days, so once he’s in that position, he’s hard to beat. That was from something which wasn’t even a 50:50 ball; it was more a 70:30 ball in Matip’s favour.
‘Players like that, you’re always going to want in your team.’
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