Martinelli Rejects Galatasaray Move as Arsenal Faces Summer Sales
Gabriel Martinelli has made his position clear. He is not leaving Arsenal for Galatasaray this summer.
The Brazilian’s camp have informed the club’s hierarchy that he has no intention of joining the Turkish champions, despite a sizeable offer on the table. According to The Athletic, Galatasaray submitted a bid worth €45 million, around £38.4 million, to test Arsenal’s resolve.
The money is serious. The player’s interest is not.
Contract secure, future undecided
Martinelli is tied to Arsenal until 2027, with the club holding an option to extend that deal by a further year to 2028. No talks over a fresh renewal have started yet, a notable pause at a time when the London side are reshaping parts of their squad.
At 25, he sits in that awkward middle ground: established enough to command a hefty fee, valuable enough to keep, and yet one of the names Arsenal are understood to be willing to listen to offers for if the numbers become too tempting.
But there is a key obstacle to any move right now – he does not want to go.
Wide reshuffle, but one winger stands firm
Arsenal have already moved in the wide areas this summer. The club brought in Greek winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge and even explored a blockbuster move for Vinicius Junior before the Brazilian renewed his contract with Real Madrid.
The recruitment drive on the flanks naturally raised questions about Martinelli’s long-term role. Galatasaray tried to exploit that uncertainty with a big-money approach. It has gone nowhere.
Balancing the books
Arsenal entered this window knowing they needed to sell. Financial reality demanded it.
Leandro Trossard has already departed, joining Besiktas in a €20 million deal. Christian Norgaard followed him out of the Premier League, signing for Everton for £7 million. Those moves help, but internally the feeling remains that more exits are required before the window closes.
That is where Martinelli’s situation becomes intriguing for the club. He is a saleable asset with a long contract and strong numbers. For now, though, his stance limits Arsenal’s options.
From Ituano gamble to Arsenal mainstay
Signed from Brazilian side Ituano in 2019, Martinelli arrived as a raw prospect. He has since grown into a regular presence, racking up 278 first-team appearances and scoring 62 goals in all competitions.
Last season he featured 53 times as Arsenal lifted the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final, contributing 11 goals and 7 assists in a campaign that underlined his status in Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Arsenal may be ready to listen. Galatasaray are clearly ready to pay.
But until Martinelli is ready to move, this saga has only one ending.
