The La Liga champions are keen on him…

Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team are preparing to face Newcastle on Sunday (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Arteta appears to have been handed a triple boost ahead of Sunday’s key Premier League showdown against Newcastle United.

The Gunners…

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been dealt a fresh blow ahead of Sunday’s game against Newcastle (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal appear to have been handed a triple injury boost ahead of Sunday’s vital Premier League clash against Newca…

Arsenal have been tipped to upgrade upon Gabriel Martinelli after his inconsistent performances for Mikel Arteta’s side this season.

While Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka have had to deal with lengthy lay-offs this season, Martinelli has been virtually ever-present save for a four-game spell on the treatment table in February.

Despite that, the Brazilian has notched up only eight goals in the Premier League so far this campaign, while he has managed just five in 25 appearances in all competitions since the turn of the year.

Just two seasons ago, Martinelli scored an impressive 15 league goals, but the 23-year-old has struggled to hit those heights again in recent campaigns.

An improved performance in a more central role saw Martinelli score the goal which sparked Arsenal’s impressive comeback against Liverpool last weekend.

But former Gunners defender Nigel Winterburn believes the forward’s time as a regular starter in Arteta’s side could come to an end after this summer’s transfer window.

‘That performance against Liverpool was better, but his form has been a bit erratic this season,’ Winterburn told Metro via best live casinos.

‘He definitely needs to get back to the consistent levels of performance that we’ve seen in the past that we know he can produce.

‘However, it wouldn’t surprise me, if I’m honest, if Arsenal brought someone in on that left-hand side to be a challenge and eventually replace Martinelli next season.’

Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams has been widely linked with a move to Arsenal this summer and could occupy a similar spot on the left side of a front three.

Martinelli, meanwhile, is said to have drawn interest from Saudi Arabia, although Winterburn doesn’t believe a move to the Middle East would be in the Brazilian’s best interests.

‘I don’t see him leaving in the summer, but he’s going to have to work hard to keep his spot in the side moving forward,’ he added.

‘I can’t pre-judge what other players are going to do. Going to Saudi Arabia is huge money but Martinelli is still a young man and I don’t know if I would be comfortable making that move.

‘That league isn’t strong and it may never be strong. They’re trying to build something but that’s going to take many, many years.

‘There only reason he would be going would be for the money and I won’t judge him on that but he’s on huge amounts anyway and you want to be in one of the most competitive leagues in the world which the Premier League is.’

For now, Martinelli and Arsenal’s focus will turn to Sunday’s important league clash with Newcastle as the Gunners look to ensure their second-place finish.

‘The last five or six games in the league have been a bit strange and a bit disappointing,’ said Winterburn. ‘The run of results hasn’t been brilliant, but I think the Champions League run definitely had something to do with that.

‘But when you get to this stage of the season, is second any better than fourth? You still get Champions League football so I don’t think there’s much to be worried about.

‘I imagine Mikel Arteta will have a different view of that and he’ll want to get the better of Newcastle who have been a bit of a bogey team for him.

‘If you can end with two strong performances, then you go into the off-season with a bit more momentum. Then it’s about a review and then you would think a few movements on the squad in and out. That’s what everybody is expecting and it’s what is needed.’

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The champions will get a Guard of Honour from the Gunners today.

The ex-Arsenal midfielder remains optimistic the Gunners can advance.

Mikel Arteta has been urged to make a significant change for Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG.

The Gunners will travel to the French capital next Wednesday in a bid to overturn a one-goal deficit and reach the 2025 Champions League final.

Arsenal fans had high hopes ahead of the first leg against the Ligue 1 champions after knocking Champions League holders Real Madrid out of the competition in the quarter-finals.

Arteta’s side were brilliant across two legs against Madrid but failed to produce that level of performance at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.

Hoping to take a lead into the second leg, Arsenal in fact find themselves 1-0 down Ousmane Dembele’s early goal was enough to separate the teams in north London.

PSG are now the clear favourites to progress, having already eliminated fellow Premier League clubs Liverpool and Aston Villa during an impressive run to the semi-finals.

Arteta is set to recall suspended midfielder Thomas Partey for the second leg, with Mikel Merino expected to slot back in up front which he has done to great success in recent months.

But the Gunners boss has been urged to make another change which would see Ethan Nwaneri start ahead of Gabriel Martinelli in Paris.

Nwaneri, 18, has enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Emirates Stadium but only came on in injury-time against PSG.

‘In those type of games, you want players who are fearless, who are going to go out there and just do it and not let the pressure of the situation get to them,’ ex-Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker told CBS Sports after PSG’s first-leg win over Arsenal.

‘You know what I would do? I would start Nwaneri. Ethan, the young lad at Arsenal, because these are the games young players can thrive in.

‘I hate when people say “oh they’re too young” about players, if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. I would let Ethan go out there and do his thing.

‘It’s a tough decision but I would take Martinelli out for Nwaneri, I really would.

‘Mikel Merino will go back up there because Thomas Partey will come back in after his suspension.

‘People will say Nwaneri’s not played in that position much but in the modern game players all interchange in different positions. I would find a way to get him in that team.’

Arteta was naturally ‘disappointed’ after Arsenal’s narrow defeat but insisted the tie was far from over.

‘Obviously disappointed with the result,’ he told Amazon Prime. ‘We put so much into the game.

‘We struggled first 10-15 minutes to get momentum and dominance but we were better after that. It’s disappointing not to get a draw at least.’

PSG boss Luis Enrique, meanwhile, said: ‘Great atmosphere but we showed the kind of team we are.

‘We tried to play our way and scored the goal early playing the way we play. We suffered sometimes but could have scored the second goal.

‘The second match is going to be very tough. We need to prepare well, it’s going to be difficult.

‘The result means a little advantage for us. We are going to suffer, we know that. I think we can go to the final but there is still one match.’

La Liga leaders Barcelona take on Serie A giants Inter Milan in the other Champions League semi-final.

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Some key players could receive suspensions.