Barcelona are watching Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli at the World Cup ahead of a possible move to take him to the Camp Nou in the future.
That’s according to Sport, who say the Catalan giants are watching Martinelli’s performances in Qatar as the player is a ‘favourite’ of the sporting department and coaching staff.
The newspaper reports that Barcelona are ‘keeping a close eye’ on Martinelli’s progress with the Brazilian national team and he could become a target for them at the end of the season.
The 21-year-old has been one of the star men for Arsenal this season but could become a real market opportunity if he does not sign a new deal at the Emirates in the coming months.
His current contract is set to expire in June 2024, so he will only have a year left come the summer, something Barcelona would like to take advantage of.
They have ‘very good references’ on the forward and are ‘fully informed’ of his movements, with Arsenal pushing to get him signed to a new deal.
Barcelona want to update their forward line next summer and are focusing on ‘promising players with international experience’. Martinelli falls into that category and has been monitored throughout the season, including during the World Cup.
They also have a ‘very good relationship’ with the player’s entourage and are awaiting developments on the talks with Arsenal.
At the moment they appear to be progressing well following weeks of efforts from the Gunners and the feeling is that there is a ‘predisposition’ from both parties to sign a new four-year contract.
Nothing has been confirmed, though, and Barcelona are waiting in the wings to try and take advantage of that if it remains the case over the coming months.
