Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli is “very close” to making Brazil‘s squad for the World Cup, according to South American football expert Tim Vickery.
At the same time, though, Vickery feels the 21-year-old could still miss out due to the quality Tite has at his disposal.
Why is Martinelli in contention for a Brazil call-up?
Martinelli has been in stunning form this season and is one reason why Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League table.
In 12 appearances, the Brazilian has scored two goals and provided a couple of assists, recently registering in the emphatic 5-0 win against Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta now want Martinelli to put pen to paper on a new contract, while Tite is considering including him in his squad for the World Cup.
According to the Daily Mail, Martinelli earns £70,000 a week at the Emirates and is in discussions with the Gunners over a fresh deal.
What has Vickery said about Martinelli and Brazil?
Vickery has told GIVEMESPORT that Martinelli is very close to making the Brazil squad but could yet miss out because of the other options Tite currently has.
Speaking to GMS, the journalist said: “They’ve got so many attacking options, but Martinelli is making it tougher for the coach. And specifically, I think a few weeks ago, his performance against Liverpool, the coach picked him out as the best player on the field. So even with the squad extended to 26, it’s not an easy squad for the coach to pick.
“Martinelli is very, very close. He might just miss out purely because they’ve got so many options, but he’s very close.”
Should Martinelli be included in Tite’s squad?
Based on current form, yes. But as Vickery mentioned, Brazil have so many good attacking options right now.
The likes of Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Richarlison are just a few forwards Tite currently has available to him, showing what Martinelli is up against.
From his point of view, it will be disappointing if he is snubbed for the tournament in Qatar, especially given the way he is playing. The Brazil international probably cannot do any more.
Fortunately for him, though, he is still just 21 years of age. The former Ituano player will have more opportunities to play at the World Cup.
And if he maintains the level he has been performing at, he should get the chance to represent Brazil in the tournament eventually.
