Arsenal’s youth setup has rightfully earned a reputation of being up there with some of the very best in England, producing numerous key talents who have had a huge impact over the years.
Bukayo Saka is the greatest example over the last couple of years, scoring 59 times in his 229 appearances for the Gunners – cementing his place as a regular starter under Mikel Arteta.
Having a successful academy is one thing, but to be successful in the Premier League you need an effective recruitment team to allow for key additions to be made and improve the squad.
William Saliba is a prime example, joining in from Saint-Étienne as an unknown quantity, before making huge strides at the Emirates and becoming a regular under the Spaniard at the heart of the defence.
However, the Frenchman isn’t the only player who was unheard of before his transfer to North London, with one talent also developing rapidly after his own move to England.
Gabriel Martinelli’s stats for Arsenal in 2023/24
Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli arrived at Arsenal back in the summer of 2019, joining from Ituano FC – with the vast majority of supporters never hearing of the youngster.
However, five years on, he’s made his impact in North London, developing faster than anyone could’ve predicted, scoring 41 times in 177 appearances for the Gunners.
Despite his rapid rise, he managed 13 goal contributions in all competitions, eight of which were goals, for Arteta’s side last season, but often found himself behind Leandro Trossard in the pecking as the club aimed to end their two decade wait for a league title.
10 of his contributions came in the Premier League, but given his impressive form in previous seasons, there were higher expectations placed on the 23-year-old’s shoulders last season – but he was unable to meet those for large parts of the campaign.
Whilst he still has time on his side to resurrect his recent poor form by his standards, he was outscored by one player who departed the Emirates back in the summer of 2022.
The player who outscored Martinelli in 2023/24
After departing the Emirates in 2022 to join Chelsea, forward Omari Hutchinson has enjoyed a huge upturn in form that has seen him become a regular Premier League performer.
Whilst the 20-year-old has only made two first-team appearances for the Blues, he enjoyed a successful loan spell at Ipswich Town in the Championship last season – helping Kieran McKenna’s side secure a second successive promotion.
He registered 17 goal contributions in all competitions, with 11 goals – three more than Martinelli – to his name, with his subsequent from securing the youngster a permanent move to Portman Road.
How Hutchinson compared to Arsenal attackers in 2023/24 | |
|---|---|
Player | Tally |
Bukayo Saka | 34 |
Kai Havertz | 21 |
Leandro Trossard | 19 |
Omari Hutchinson | 17 |
Gabriel Jesus | 16 |
Gabriel Martinelli | 13 |
Stats via Transfermarkt | |
Hutchinson secured a £22.5m move to the Tractor Boys, becoming the club’s record signing, further demonstrating his rapid rise, proving what he’s capable of, potentially making Arsenal regret their decision to offload the youngster.
Whilst the club will have received a portion of his transfer fee following his move to Ipswich, his excellent form last season is evidence that he’s a player on an upward trajectory, having the potential to improve further this season.
Should he replicate his form from the Championship in the Premier League this season, his transfer fee could be a bargain in today’s market with Arsenal possibly regretting allowing the talent to leave just a couple of years ago.
The talented youngster has showcased his ability to score goals on a consistent basis from a wide position, whilst Martinelli struggled in front of goal last term, and it will now be interesting to see whether or not he can outscore the Brazilian again this term.
