Arsenal legend Ian Wright has spoken out over the club’s handling of Gabriel Martinelli’s future, insisting the Brazilian winger deserves better treatment as speculation over a possible exit continues to swirl around the Emirates Stadium.
Martinelli was left out of Arsenal’s squad entirely for their 3-0 Premier League opening win over Coventry, and he was also omitted from the Community Shield victory over Manchester City the weekend before. According to BBC Sport, the 25-year-old has not been directly told what is going on, despite Arsenal reportedly inviting offers for him this summer.
Wright: ‘It Makes Me Feel Uncomfortable’
Speaking to Sky Sports, Wright did not hold back on how the situation is being managed. “The way Martinelli is being treated at the moment, it really makes me feel uncomfortable,” he said. “I know they might want him out, and a lot of people might say, ‘yeah, it’s time for him to move him on’. But there’s ways of doing that and it should suit him as well, how he wants to leave.”
The former Gunners striker added that Martinelli “doesn’t know what’s going on” and hasn’t been properly spoken to about his situation, despite his contribution to last season’s title-winning campaign, in which he made 53 appearances and scored 11 goals.
“He’s done enough with this squad to be treated with a little bit more respect than he’s being treated with at the moment,” Wright said.
Arteta’s Pecking Order
Martinelli joined Arsenal from Brazilian side Ituano back in 2019 and has been a fixture of Mikel Arteta’s squad ever since, racking up 62 goals in 278 appearances and becoming a fan favourite along the way. But with new signing Christos Tzolis impressing in Martinelli’s favoured left-wing role against Coventry, and Noni Madueke also in the mix, the Brazilian appears to have slipped down the pecking order.
Wright pointed out that the situation might feel different for Martinelli had Arsenal succeeded in signing Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, who instead agreed a new deal in Spain. “If you bring Vini in, Martinelli can say to himself, ‘OK, they’ve brought him in, they’ve brought Tzolis in, I might be third [in the pecking order],'” Wright explained. “But if you bring Tzolis in and have Madueke on the other side, you’re thinking to yourself, ‘I can still have it with these two, I’ve got something to offer.’ For him to be nowhere near it, it just makes me feel a bit sad for him.”
Arsenal’s Position
Arsenal have denied that Martinelli is being frozen out, insisting his recent absences are simply down to strength in depth. Per reports, Arteta has already explained his reasoning to the player directly.
Speaking before the Coventry match, Arteta addressed the broader issue of established players potentially leaving the club: “It’s a really tough moment, but you need to face that reality. You need to face it with real honesty and transparency… Everything has a start and has an end.”
Martinelli is reportedly considered one of Arsenal’s most sellable assets this summer, alongside Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira, and has already turned down a move to Galatasaray, with reports suggesting he would prefer a switch to a top European club if he does leave the Emirates.
For now, though, his immediate future remains unresolved — and, according to Wright, handled in a manner that hasn’t done justice to his years of service at Arsenal.