Gabriel Martinelli has claimed Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is "one of the best in the world" despite the Gunners continuing to struggle for consistency under his watch.
That has become a familiar issue for the north London giants over recent years, with Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery enduring similiar problems during their respective reigns.
A young squad is, however, being pieced together at Emirates Stadium and 20-year-old Brazilian forward Martinelli is looking for their full potential to be unlocked.
What has been said?
The South American told UOL of his hopes for 2021-22 with niggling knocks being shaken off: "I lost about five months because of the injury, but I think in the end we did well. We had one of the best campaigns in the league after Christmas.
"We had good games at the end of the season, the players are confident, so we have to try to go down this same path, so we need to start the season well.
"Arteta has experience and I think he is one of the best coaches in the world."
The bigger picture
Arsenal could only muster an eighth-place finish in 2020-21, leading to them missing out on European qualification.
Fresh faces have, however, been acquired in the summer transfer window and expectations remain high.
Martinelli will, after 48 appearances across the last season, be hoping to figure prominently under Arteta in the upcoming campaign.
He has lofty ambitions, with a hot prospect hoping that a return to prominence at club level will fire him into the reckoning for World Cup duty with his country in 2022.
Martinelli added, with gold medal glory at Tokyo 2020 currently in his sights: "I'm Brazilian, and my dream is to play for Brazil, win titles: Copa America, a World Cup, the Olympics itself now. I want to win titles in the national team.
"It's a dream to compete in the Olympics for Brazil. We won the last one, so we came with this responsibility to play well. I'm very proud, honoured and I look forward to it."
Further reading
- Made in Hale End: Arsenal's £50m academy revolution
- Arsenal-linked Ramsdale tipped to become 'one of the best'
- Newcastle demand Willock loan answer from Arsenal