Arsenal Open to Gabriel Martinelli Transfer Amid Galatasaray Interest
Arsenal are open to transferring Gabriel Martinelli to Galatasaray, with the Gunners in talks over a potential deal for the Brazilian winger. Martinelli, 25, has entered the final 12 months of his contract at the Emirates Stadium and lost his spot in the starting XI to Leandro Trossard last season.
Why it Matters for Arsenal
The Gunners are seeking a new left winger, with Christos Tzolis having arrived in a £34million deal from Club Brugge. Tzolis has been Arsenal's first-choice on the left flank during pre-season, finding the net against Girona on his debut before providing an assist from a corner against Real Betis.
What Comes Next?
Arsenal are in negotiations with Galatasaray over a fee for Martinelli, following an enquiry from the Turkish Super Lig side on the weekend. However, no deal will be approved until there is progress in the opposite direction and Arsenal secure a left wing signing themselves, having missed out on Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior.
Martinelli, who was absent from Arsenal's opening pre-season fixture at Girona, has since come off the bench as a second-half substitute against Betis and Dortmund. He appeared for the final 12 minutes in the defeat to the German side and netted in the subsequent Emirates Cup penalty shootout.
Speaking after the Dortmund match, Arteta confirmed the Gunners remain busy in the transfer market as they look to bolster their ranks. "Well, that's what we're trying to do (sign more players)," the Spaniard said. "It has to be the right player in the market to make us much better. We are very much looking forward to that."
Arsenal snapped up Martinelli for just £6m back in 2019 and he has since gone on to make 278 appearances for the Gunners, netting 62 goals. However, he struggled to make any real impression last season, losing his regular starting berth to Trossard.
Belgian international Trossard delivered several standout moments for Mikel Arteta's side on the road to the Premier League title, before being offloaded for £15.3m to Besiktas. Martinelli could follow his team-mate with a switch to Turkish top-flight rivals Galatasaray, albeit for a considerably larger transfer fee.
While no precise transfer figure has been suggested for Martinelli, his age and profile would undoubtedly command a higher price than what Besiktas forked out for Trossard. Galatasaray are also said to be in discussions with AC Milan regarding a transfer for winger Rafael Leao, with a £43m price tag under consideration.
Should Arsenal secure a comparable sum for Martinelli, it would surpass the club's existing record sale, which saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain join Liverpool for £35m back in 2019.
Current Context
Arsenal are currently 7 points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, with a recent form of 5W-0D-0L (WWWWW, most recent first). They have scored 71 goals this season, conceding 27, and are on a 5-game winning run. Their last result was a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on May 24, 2026.
Image Prompt
A photorealistic image of an anonymous Arsenal player, aged 25-30, with a lean build, wearing a red jersey with white sleeves and white shorts, and a pair of white socks. The player is in mid-action, with their left foot planted firmly on the ground and their right foot lifted off the ground, as if they are about to kick the ball. The image is taken from a 45-degree angle, with the player's face visible and their eyes focused intently on the ball. The background is thrown out of focus, with a shallow depth of field and a floodlight rim light. The image is shot with an 85mm f/1.4 lens, with a shallow depth of field and a sharp focus on the player's eyes.
