Prem attacker was ‘sad’ when Manchester United decided not to sign him

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Gabriel Martinelli had trials with Manchester United on four separate occasions and the Arsenal ace was ‘sad’ when the Premier League giants turned their nose up at the chance of signing him.

That is according to Antonio Moraes, Gabriel Martinelli’s former coach at Brazilian outfit FC Ituano.

Before joining Arsenal as a relative unknown back in 2019 – The Gunners paying £7 million for a teenager who wasn’t even a household name in Brazil yet alone in England – Martinelli had been passed up by another of the Premier League’s bonafide big hitters.

The Brazil international had no fewer than four separate trials at Manchester United. He even represented the club’s U18 side in a friendly. In fact, if you’re willing to look for it, you can still find a photo of a baby-faced Martinelli being put through his paces in a United training kit.

Whatever the reason, United eventually opted against offering Martinelli a contract, and it’s probably safe to say the jet-heeled forward has had the last laugh, blossoming into one of the most feared young forwards in European football down the road in London.

Manchester United turned down Gabriel Martinelli

“He was sad when the United move didn’t work out,” Moraes tells The Athletic. “But (that feeling) didn’t last long.

“He just kept working. Maybe even more than before. (Martinelli) is a great example for young players. Things never went to his head.”

Martinelli scored 15 Premier League goals last term and opened his account for the new campaign over the weekend, a deflected winner against Manchester City potentially the springboard for another title challenge from Mikel Arteta’s men.

As Martinelli’s father explains, however, it is not just the 22-year-old’s natural, ‘God-given’ talent which has taken him so far in the professional game.

‘Spectacular’

“God-given ability is not enough,” Martinelli Sr adds. “You have to train, do the work. Gabriel understood that at an early age. He had discipline and he listened. He must have thought I was a son of a b***h sometimes, but he never moaned. Never one word in frustration. Today, you can see that all of that work paid off.”

“He wasn’t just good. He was spectacular.”