Arsenal don't intend to let Gabriel Martinelli leave on loan in January, according to manager Mikel Arteta.
The forward hasn't featured since the 3-0 Carabao Cup third round win over AFC Wimbledon late last month, and the Gunners' lack of European football in 2021/22 means he's likely to find playing time harder to come by.
Martinelli joined Arsenal from Brazilian outfit Ituano in the summer of 2019 and scored ten goals in 26 games in all competitions during his first season at the Emirates.
A knee injury kept him out until December last season, but he did make another 23 appearances, adding a further two goals to his Gunners tally.
Despite the Olympic gold medallist's limited involvement so far this term, though, it doesn't look like he'll be on his way out of the Emirates on loan come the new year.
Speaking to the media ahead of Monday night's home Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace, Arteta said: "I'm very happy with [Martinelli] and we aren't thinking about [loaning him out].
However, the Spaniard revealed that Martinelli s a doubt for the Palace match with "a minor injury".
Arteta emphasised the Gunners' faith in the 20-year-old, though, stating that "we have a lot of trust with Gabby and we need to find the right space for him to grow within the squad."
With teammates Bukayo Saka and - more recently - Emile Smith Rowe having become established figures in the Arsenal first team, Martinelli doesn't exactly have to look far for evidence of how the club's youngsters can be allowed to thrive.
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