It's finally back; after a long summer of international football and transfer rumours, the Premier League made its triumphant return over the weekend, and Arsenal resumed their quest to topple Manchester City from their throne.
Mikel Arteta's side had a kind opening fixture, with a home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and while it wasn't a stroll in the park, the North Londoners came out 2-0 winners.
There were several stand-out performers for the Gunners, from Kai Havertz to Bukayo Saka and even David Raya, but one starter who wasn't quite as good as fans were hoping he'd be was Gabriel Martinelli.
Following a poor campaign last season, the Brazilian international must show his worth in the coming games, but the club could be ruthless and sign a replacement before the window slams shut.
Gabriel Martinelli's uncertain future
Now, the first thing to state is that, no, Martinelli wasn't particularly bad against Wolves on Saturday, but it would be fair to say that he was underwhelming, and his performance did little in the way of bolstering his case for the season going forward, especially when the other starters in the frontline both scored and assisted a goal.
However, the doubts around the Brazilian's suitability to start in Arteta's title-challenging side aren't a product of Saturday's game; they result from his performances last season, in which he was notably poorer than the previous campaign.
For example, while he racked up a seriously impressive haul of 15 goals and six assists in 46 appearances in 2022/23, he could only manage eight goals and five assists in 44 appearances last season.
This means that his average dropped from a goal involvement once every 2.19 games two years ago to one every 3.38 last year, and while he did have to contend with a few knocks in 23/24, they weren't the sole reason for his poor form.
In all, while there is an undeniably talented winger in there, Martinelli wasn't able to show that last season, and as such, he could be at risk of losing his place in the team entirely, especially as the club were linked to someone who'd be an ideal replacement earlier this summer.
Why Donyell Malen could replace Martinelli
Yes, the player in question is Borussia Dortmund ace Donyell Malen, who was touted for a £34m move to the Emirates back in July.
If this potential deal were to happen, it would be a return for the Dutchman, as he first joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2015 before scoring 44 goals in two seasons for the youth side and then returning to the Netherlands to play for PSV Eindhoven.
The Wieringen-born dynamo enjoyed a stellar few years with the Eredivisie giants, in which he scored 55 goals and provided 24 assists in 116 appearances before earning a £27m move to Westfalenstadion in July 2021.
Since then, the "unstoppable" star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has made 112 appearances for die Schwarzgelben, growing in importance with every campaign.
Unsurprisingly, given the interest of clubs such as Arsenal, last season was his best yet, as he racked up 15 goals and five assists in just 38 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.9 games, which is even better than Martinelli's average from 22/23 and significantly better than his last year.
Appearances
38
44
Goals
15
8
Assists
5
5
Goal Involvements per Match
0.52
0.29
Interestingly, the "sizzling" attacker, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, can also play across the frontline with no trouble, having made over 60 starts on both wings and down the middle. However, with Arteta's track record last season, it's unlikely he'd be getting much game time on the right or as the starting nine.
Ultimately, while Malen might not be the biggest name at the moment, he proved that he was an elite attacker last season, and if Arsenal signed him this summer, he could spell trouble for Martinelli.
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