Arsenal news: New signing Gabriel Martinelli says he models his game on Cristiano Ronaldo

What's the story?

Arsenal's newest signing Gabriel Martinelli has set high expectations for himself at the Emirates, claiming that he models his game on five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

In case you didn't know...

Martinelli joined the Gunners on a long-term contract from Sao Paolo outfit Ituano after putting on impressive displays in Brazil. The forward even earned a call-up to the Brazilian national squad for a pre-Copa America training camp.

The 18-year-old made his debut in 2017 and has since netted 10 goals in 34 games for his club. The Brazilian will join Unai Emery's squad for their pre-season training camp but a definite role for him within the team is yet to be ascertained.

Arsenal are currently facing a transfer crunch as their failure to secure Champions League football has limited their budget to a mere £40 million. The club are in need of reinforcements in different positions following the departures of Aaron Ramsey and Stephan Lichtsteiner.

The heart of the matter

When asked about his aspirations, Martinelli told Arsenal's official website, "I model my game on Cristiano Ronaldo. He is a player who works hard, pushing himself to the next level. Always in the run for titles and individual trophies."

"I look up to Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar as they are players who can decide games and are very professional, who dedicate themselves to the whole game."

"I am a player who gives his all at all times, I play as a team and am always looking to win games and win trophies."

The youngster also went on to add that it's always been his dream to play in Europe and he simply could not pass up an opportunity to play for a big team like Arsenal.

What's next?

The Arsenal squad are scheduled to return to training on July 5. It remains to be seen whether the Gunners add to their squad during the remainder of the transfer window.