Arsenal hit the jackpot when they landed Gabriel Martinelli in the summer. The teenage Brazilian has hit the ground running and made an immediate first-team impact during his first season with the Gunners.
But despite plucking him from relatively unknown Brazilian club Ituano, the north London club had to fend off competition for his signature.
And it has now emerged that Arsenal chief Raul Sanllehi was convinced by top scout Francis Cagigao to negotiate an "exclusive clause" to give them a four-week window to complete a deal for Martinelli before he was allowed to speak to other clubs.
According to The Athletic, the Gunners were able to secure access to a four-week window after Martinelli turned 18 on June 18, 2019.
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