Arsenal have announced the signing of the 18-year-old forward Gabriel Martinelli from Brazilian side Ituano Futebol Clube. The teenager has joined on a long-term contract and becomes the Gunners’ first signing of the summer. Martinelli scored six goals in 14 games for Ituano in Brazil’s Serie D last season, and he is likely to challenge for a place in Arsenal’s under-23 side initially.
A Gunners statement read: “Gabriel has made rapid progress during his short time at Ituano. Since making his debut in November 2017 aged just 16 years and nine months, the young forward scored 10 goals from his 34 appearances for the Sao Paulo-based club. “The 18-year-old’s development was also recently acknowledged by the Brazilian national team, with a call-up to the full squad for a training camp in May ahead of the Copa America. “Gabriel was voted as the 2019 Best Newcomer and also a member of the 2019 Team of the Year for the Campeonato Paulista – the football league for the state of Sao Paulo.”
Martinelli added: It is a dream since I was a child and also my family’s dream for me to be playing in Europe and playing for a big team like Arsenal. I am going to take this opportunity. The forward didn’t need a work permit to sign for the Gunners, despite being Brazilian, as he qualifies for an Italian passport through his dad. 
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