Arsenal legend Robert Pires has compared current Gunners star Gabriel Martinelli to himself.
Pires spent six seasons at Arsenal, with the Frenchman scoring 85 goals in 284 appearances across all competitions as he helped them win two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and reach a Champions League final.
He formed a key part of Arsenal's legendary Invincibles side and he believes Martinelli shares a lot of his attributes. The forward made the move to the Emirates in 2019 and has since established himself as a key member of Mikel Arteta's team.
And Pires is a huge fan of the 22-year-old, telling French outlet Media Carre : "Gabriel Martinelli looks like me. He looks a lot like me because he's a dribbler, he scores goals, and he is quick.
"He makes good calls, he plays simply when it's necessary to play simply, and he goes for the challenge when the challenge presents itself. When he sees that he is one on one he plays for the team and that's why I really like him.
"I know him a little bit, he's educated, and he's doing well at Arsenal, that's for sure." Martinelli recently returned to action in Arsenal's 0-0 draw with Premier League title rivals Manchester City at the weekend.
He came off the bench to replace Bukayo Saka after recovering from a foot injury and Arteta has hinted he could be back in the starting line-up when the Gunners host Luton this evening.
When asked if Martinelli was fit enough to play a full 90 minutes, Arteta said: "He is because he was available to play against a really tough opponent three days ago. Again, we'll train today and see the state of every player and make the right decision tomorrow."
Arteta also offered an update on Saka's fitness, adding: "He's fine. Obviously, we haven't trained, we've only recovered and have a short live session today to prepare for the game, and we'll see whether he's in the best condition to start or not."
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