Transfer Centre

Real Madrid 'lining up £70m Gabriel Martinelli approach'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 03 March 2020

Real Madrid are reportedly lining up a summer move for £70m-rated Arsenal striker Gabriel Martinelli, who has also been linked to Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.

Real Madrid are reportedly keeping tabs on Arsenal striker Gabriel Martinelli ahead of a possible summer move for the Brazilian.

The 18-year-old only joined the Gunners from Brazilian minnows Ituano last summer, but he has impressed for the Gunners this season with 10 goals and four assists in 26 appearances.

The likes of Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain have been credited with an interest in the youngster, and reports from Spain suggest that Real Madrid are now also lining up a possible bid.

Arsenal spent around £6m on Martinelli but could reportedly demand as much as €80m (£69.8m) if they are to sell him this summer.

Madrid are in the market for a new striker to provide competition for Karim Benzema, and Martinelli's ability to play in the wide forward roles would also be seen as an advantage given Eden Hazard's injury troubles this season.

The report suggests that Los Blancos consider Martinelli to have even more potential than Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, both of whom have moved to the Bernabeu in big-money deals recently.

The Gunners are reluctant to lose the Brazil Under-23 international, though, particularly with the futures of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang still up in the air.