Arsenal’s first team squad was put through its paces ahead of Sunday’s north London derby (Picture: Sky Sports)
Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli was absent from first team training on Friday ahead of Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham.
The Brazil international suffered a minor hamstring strain against Everton last weekend and subsequently missed Wednesday’s resounding 4-0 win over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta refused to rule the 22-year-old out of contention, but his chances of featuring appear remote given he wasn’t spotted training alongside the rest of the first team squad on Friday.
One man certain to feature against Spurs is club captain Martin Odegaard, fresh from signing a new long-term contract that has made him the highest paid player at the club.
‘I think there are a lot of things, but mainly what we’re doing as a club, I just want to be a part of that,’ said the former Real Madrid midfielder.
‘I’m really excited for what’s to come, so it was an easy decision to stay here for longer.
‘My story has been a bit different. I moved when I was 16 and then changed teams here and there on loan, so for me it’s been a key thing to find a place where I could really settle down.
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‘I’ve felt at home here since the first day; I just felt great. This is definitely my home, I’m so happy to be here and to sign a new deal.’
‘Martin signing a new long-term contract is such good news for everyone connected with Arsenal,’ added a delighted Arteta.
‘He is our captain and a hugely respected person at our club, who is a great role model and professional, bringing quality and maturity in everything he does.
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‘On the pitch, as everyone has seen, Martin is a young player of top quality who consistently contributes at a such a high level.
‘As a manager, working with Martin the person and the player is an absolute joy, and it’s great that after experiencing a number of clubs already in his career, he is now settled and really feels at home at Arsenal.
‘We all look forward to continuing our journey with Martin in the years to come.’
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