Gabriel Martinelli insists ‘unbelievable’ Arsenal team-mate now among ‘best in the world’
Gabriel Martinelli believes that Arsenal team-mate Bukayo Saka is now among the ‘best players in the world‘.
Saka, 23, set up two goals and scored one himself to help the Gunners beat Southampton 3-1 on Saturday, having gone a goal behind at the Emirates. The England international is already on seven assists for the Premier League season – three more than any other player – and has surpassed Robert Pires’ tally of 41 assists for Arsenal.
His second of the day was for Martinelli, who came off the bench to complete the Gunners’ comeback and score for the second successive league game. The Brazilian forward is now in no doubt that his team-mate should be considered among the world’s best, with Saka having also been handed the captain’s armband after Jorginho was brought off.
“He’s unbelievable, and one of the best players in the world right now,” Martinelli hailed after Arsenal made it five wins in a row. “He’s a really nice guy as well so we’re really happy to have him here as one of the captains.
On his goal, Martinelli added: “It was an unbelievable ball from Bukayo and I was there to score. It was a really good moment for me and a nice goal.”
But not everyone is so enamoured by Saka’s quality and consistency, as former Scotland striker Ally McCoist claims that the 23-year-old shouldn’t be labelled ‘world class’. McCoist declared on talkSPORT: “I really like him and I think he is a terrific player. I think [Mohamed] Salah is world class, I think Saka is international class and had potential to head to world class.
“World class is… there aren’t too many who are world class level. You are talking about up to the level of [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Franz] Beckenbauer and [Johan] Cruyff, that’s world class.
“So you can’t be throwing that about willy nilly. Do I like Saka? You better believe I do and he is absolutely vital to Arsenal. There is continued improvement in him but I would be reserving the world class just at the moment.”
He reluctantly added: “I feel terrible fighting the argument because I really like him. But I’m thinking, where does that put Salah then?”
