Gabriel Martinelli has reportedly been frozen out at Arsenal by Mikel Arteta, with his team-mates said to be unhappy, as the Brazilian forward is set for a £50m move
Mikel Arteta’s ruthless handling of Gabriel Martinelli has allegedly sparked unease within the Arsenal dressing room.
Martinelli has been cast aside at the beginning of the 2026/27 campaign, with the club frantically seeking to offload him before the transfer window shuts. The Brazilian attacker has spent seven years with the Gunners, but seems to have featured for the final time in Arsenal colours.
He was omitted from the squads for both the Community Shield triumph against Manchester City and the season opener demolition of Coventry. Martinelli has under 12 months left on his deal and Arsenal have determined this is the moment to cash in.
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Following his rejection of a switch to Galatasaray, Martinelli is now set to join Al-Hilal for a fee around £50million, which would represent a record departure for Arsenal, reports the Mirror.
That windfall will assist the club in securing the elite forward they have pursued throughout the summer, with Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez remaining an option.
However, the manner in which they have forced Martinelli towards the exit has come at a price. ESPN Brazil reports that, predictably, Martinelli is displeased with how he has been discarded in recent weeks.
The 25-year-old reportedly did not receive a medal for the side’s Community Shield success and there has been considerable sympathy from his team-mates.
According to The Mirror, the departures of Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira before 1 September are viewed as a crucial aspect of Arsenal’s summer dealings. However, Arteta’s approach has risked sparking a backlash.
Speaking to Sky Sports following the 3-0 victory over Coventry on Friday night, club legend Ian Wright expressed his discomfort: “With respect to Martinelli and the way he’s being treated at the moment, it really makes me uncomfortable.
“He always gives 100%, we’re not saying he’s the greatest, but he’s come up with some big moments for Arsenal in big games, and the way he’s being treated at the end here.
“I know they might want him out and there’s a lot of guys saying it’s time for him to move on, but there’s ways of doing that should suit him as well.”
Wright added: “For him to be nowhere near it, just makes me feel a bit sad for him. I think he’s done enough in this squad to be treated with a bit more respect than he’s been treated at the moment.”
Martinelli could be on the brink of becoming Arsenal’s record sale, surpassing the £35m Liverpool shelled out for midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017.
He would join Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior and Christian Norgaard in exiting the club this summer.