Arsenal wonderkid Gabriel Martinelli has revealed Manchester United failed to make an offer for him despite taking him on trial every year for four years.
The Brazilian joined the Gunners from Brazilian club Ituano for a mere £6m and he’s been one of the few shining lights for the club this season.
United have an association with Ituano and were well aware of Martinelli’s potential as far back as 2014, when they first took the forward on trial.
Martinelli returned to Manchester in each of the night four years to spend as long as a fortnight on trial at Old Trafford but United decided against making a move for the striker.
That decision has appeared to have backfired this term with Martinelli looking an astute signing for the Gunners.
And the Brazilian has revealed that, despite enjoying his time at the Theatre of Dreams, an offer failed to materialise.
‘There was a partnership between Ituano and Manchester United which allowed me to go there every year, for four years, to train with boys my age or older,’ Martinelli told FourFourTwo.
‘That was nice, because I got a first taste of what English football was like
‘I met Marouane Fellaini, Patrice Evra and Paul Pogba, and made sure I got a photo with all of them.
‘They didn’t make an offer, so I returned to Ituano and kept doing my job there.’
United are not the only European superpower left ruing their decision to pass up on Martinelli.
The 18-year-old was also on trial with Barcelona but the Catalans made the same decision as Untied in passing up the change to sign the Brazilian.
‘I went to Barcelona in November 2018, stayed at La Masia and trained there for two weeks,’ said Martinelli.
‘That time, I wasn’t fortunate enough to meet any of the first-team squad because it was the international break – so no Lionel Messi!
‘Everything in Europe was completely new to me, and I was really impressed with the facilities at these big clubs: the size of the gym, the number of pitches’.
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