The whole world of football was saddened by the announced departure of former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who decided to take a break from management. Among the greatest managers in the Premier League's history, the German tactician has worked wonders as a head coach, and has numerous titles and achievements to his name, including a Champions League.
During a memorable stint at Anfield, as well as during a successful spell with Borussia Dortmund prior, Klopp took numerous immensely talented footballers under his tutelage. Many such stars have spoken high words of praise in his favour, such as Robert Lewandowski, who admitted his former boss was a "father figure".
That said, there have been many talented footballers Klopp has only been able to admire from afar, including one who he once referred to as the "talent of the century". However, this particular player ultimately landed in the hands of one of his Premier League rival bosses instead.
Klopp Once Named Martinelli 'Talent of the Century'
The German was overwhelmed by the young Brazilian's quality
When Arsenal and Liverpool locked horns in the EFL Cup Fourth Round in 2019, it resulted in one of the highest-scoring matches in the competition with multiple players contributing to a 5-5 scoreline in normal time. Gabriel Martinelli netted twice for his side, and his performance earned incredibly high praise from Klopp.
“Martinelli’s pretty much the same age (as Sepp van den Berg) but he’s a talent of the century,
”He’s an incredible striker, so it’s really difficult.”
One may think these are steep claims from a single match, but Klopp doubled down on his opinion later.
"It was not in this game only. I watch a lot of football, so I saw the Europa League games of Arsenal.
“He’s really unbelievable. So young, looks so mature already, is a proper threat. Yeah, he looks like a really decent player."
The encounter only occurred a matter of months after Martinelli's arrival at the Emirates, when Arsenal paid a fee of around £6 million for the then-18-year-old's services. His energy and impact were practically immediate, showing positive signs of what could come in the future.
Martinelli's Career Unfolds at Arsenal
The forward has struggled to meet expectations this season
With ten goals in all competitions in just his first season in North London, all eyes were on Martinelli to become a cornerstone piece in Arsenal's future attack. New boss Mikel Arteta allowed the Brazil international time to develop amid injury setbacks, and it was only in the 2021/22 season that he finally came into his own as a viable option for the left-wing.
The 2022/23 campaign was his best yet - Martinelli netted a remarkable 15 times in the Premier League, equalling Roberto Firminho's record for the most goals scored by a Brazilian in a Premier League season.
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Progress has unfortunately plateaued since, however. After a slow start to the 2024/25 season, Martinelli has at least matched his tally from last term, though fans have often been left frustrated by his inconsistent displays out wide. Former Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has also proclaimed that the 23-year-old will stop Arsenal from achieving their goal of winning the Premier League if he continues at this rate.
The 23-year-old is currently in talks to extend his contract at the club, though he'll have to work much harder if he is to justify a starting place in Arteta's squad.
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Statistics courtesy of SofaScore.com - Correct as of 11/03/2025