Ian Wright has criticized Arsenal's treatment of Gabriel Martinelli, arguing the winger deserves greater consideration as speculation mounts over his future at the club.
Martinelli, who scored 11 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions last season as Arsenal claimed the Premier League title, was omitted from the matchday squad for the club's 3-0 season-opening win over Coventry on Friday. The 25-year-old Brazilian had also been left out of Arsenal's Community Shield triumph over Manchester City the previous weekend, with the club having made clear that offers for the forward would be considered.
Speaking to Sky Sports, former Arsenal striker Wright said the situation surrounding Martinelli was troubling to watch. "The way Martinelli is being treated at the moment, it really makes me feel uncomfortable," Wright 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."
Wright suggested the lack of communication with the player was particularly concerning. "Not being involved in the squad, not being spoken to, he doesn't know what's going on. And yes, I know this - he doesn't know what is happening," he said. "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."
Martinelli arrived at Arsenal from Brazilian club Ituano in 2019 and has since become a regular fixture under manager Mikel Arteta, earning popularity among supporters. However, as the Gunners look to build on their title-winning campaign, he appears to be among the first players facing an uncertain future at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal have rejected suggestions that Martinelli is being deliberately frozen out, instead attributing his recent absences to increased competition for places. New signing Christos Tzolis impressed against Coventry while operating in Martinelli's favored position on the left flank. The club had also pursued Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr, though the Brazilian ultimately signed a new contract with the Spanish giants rather than move to north London.
Wright noted that the presence of both Tzolis and Noni Madueke as options on the wings could explain why Martinelli finds himself further down the pecking order. "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 are reportedly seeking at least one significant departure before the transfer window closes, with Martinelli, striker Gabriel Jesus, and midfielder Fabio Vieira identified as the club's most marketable assets. Martinelli has already rejected an approach from Turkish side Galatasaray and is understood to be holding out for a move to one of Europe's leading clubs should he leave Arsenal.
Arteta, addressing questions about the potential departure of established squad members ahead of the Coventry match, acknowledged the difficulty of such decisions. "It's a really tough moment, but you need to face that reality," the Arsenal manager said. "You need to face it with real honesty and transparency... Everything has a start and has an end. And when it comes to the end, our duty, and our responsibility is to do it in the best possible way, maintaining the respect and admiration for the player and the relationship, but understanding that at the end, we need to make football decisions."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.