Arsenal on verge of completing deal for Brazilian attacker

Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli, according to Yahoo Brazil.

The highly-rated 17-year-old, who currently plays for Ituano in his homeland, will cost the Gunners around £5m this summer.

Martinelli has been linked with a host of European clubs in recent months and had a trial at Manchester United two years ago.

But Arsenal look to have won the race for the forward’s signature, with the signing set to be announced once the player obtains an Italian passport in the next few weeks.

Martinelli began his youth career at Corinthians, before moving to Ituano in 2015.

He made his first-team debut for the Sao Paolo-based side three years later and has scored 10 goals in his 31 appearances for the club.

LISTRanked! The 15 most productive players in the Premier League this season  

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).