Ian Wright has publicly criticized Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta for their handling of Gabriel Martinelli, after the Brazilian winger was left out of the squad for Friday night's 3-0 Premier League victory over Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Wright described the treatment of the 25-year-old as disrespectful, noting that Martinelli has been excluded from the squad as the club seeks to sell him before the summer transfer window closes.
Martinelli Omitted as Arsenal Secure Opening Win
Arsenal began their Premier League title defence with a comfortable win over Frank Lampard's Coventry side, thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Martin Odegaard. However, Martinelli was not included in the matchday squad, marking the second consecutive game he has missed after also being omitted from the Community Shield victory over Manchester City last Sunday.
The winger, who has just one year remaining on his contract, was the subject of a £38 million bid from Galatasaray last week, but he has informed Arsenal that he does not want to move to the Turkish league. According to Wright, Martinelli has been left in the dark about his future, with no communication from the club regarding his role or plans.
Wright: 'It Makes Me Feel Uncomfortable'
Wright, a former Arsenal striker, expressed his discomfort with the situation, emphasizing Martinelli's consistent commitment and past contributions. 'In respects to Martinelli and the way Martinelli has been treated at the moment it really makes me feel uncomfortable,' Wright told Sky Sports. 'Because he always gives 100 per cent, I'm not saying he's the greatest, he's really come up with some big moments for Arsenal, some big games, he's scored some very important goals… the way he's been treated at the end here, I know they might want him out, and there's a lot of people saying, 'yeah, maybe it's time for him to move on', but there's ways of doing that and it should suit him as well, how he wants to leave.'
Wright highlighted that Martinelli has not been spoken to and does not know what is going on, referencing his absence from the Community Shield squad as further evidence of the breakdown in communication. 'Not being in the squad, not being spoken to, doesn't know what's going on, yes, I do know this, again, not being involved in the Community Shield squad, he doesn't know what's happening, I think he's got a year left [on his contract],' he added.
Comparison with New Signings and Future Outlook
Wright also compared Martinelli's situation to the arrival of potential new signings, suggesting that the winger would be willing to compete for his place if given the chance. 'If you bring Vini [Vinicius Junior] in, that kind of level in, Martinelli can say to himself, 'well, okay, they've brought him and Tzolis, I might be third [choice]', but if you're bringing Tzolis in, and he's looking at Tzolis, you look at Madueke on the other [wing], you're thinking to yourself, 'I think I can still have it with these two, I still think I've got something to offer here',' Wright said.
'For him to be nowhere near it, it makes me feel sad for him,' he continued. 'I'm just saying I think he's done enough with this team, with this squad, to be treated with a little bit more respect than he's being treated at the moment.'
As the transfer window enters its final days, Martinelli's future remains unresolved, with the winger reportedly not interested in a move to Galatasaray. Arsenal's handling of the situation has drawn criticism from a club legend, and the coming weeks will determine whether Martinelli stays or is sold before the deadline.
