Martinelli set to stay at Arsenal despite Galatasaray approach

Gabriel Martinelli has no desire to leave Arsenal for Galatasaray this summer, despite the Turkish club making a €45m (£38.4m) offer for the Brazil winger.

The Athletic reported on Friday that Arsenal received the proposal from Galatasaray, but Martinelli’s representatives have made it clear that the 25-year-old is not interested in moving to the Turkish champions.

Martinelli’s current contract with Arsenal runs until 2027, and the club also hold an option to extend the agreement by a further year. No negotiations over a new deal have begun, however.

Although Martinelli remains one of the players Arsenal could consider selling if an attractive offer arrives, he is not seeking a transfer and would prefer to remain at the Emirates Stadium.

The winger has been with Arsenal since joining from Brazilian club Ituano in 2019. He has made 278 appearances for the first team, scoring 62 goals.

During the previous campaign, Martinelli played 53 matches in all competitions, registering 11 goals and seven assists. Arsenal won the Premier League and reached the final of the UEFA Champions League.

Arsenal entered the current summer transfer window aware that further player sales would be needed to maintain financial balance. The club have already allowed forward Leandro Trossard to join Besiktas for €20m, while midfielder Christian Nørgaard moved to Everton for £7m.

Despite those departures, Arsenal believe more sales may still be necessary before the transfer window closes. Martinelli is among the players whose future could be assessed if a sufficiently substantial bid is made, but there is currently no indication that he is pushing to leave.

The Gunners have also strengthened their wide options this summer by signing Greece winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge. They previously showed interest in Brazil forward Vinicius Junior, although he subsequently extended his contract with Real Madrid.

That recruitment activity, alongside Arsenal’s need to generate further income through transfers, has left several players subject to speculation. Galatasaray’s proposal for Martinelli represents one of the more significant approaches, but the player’s stance means the deal is not currently an attractive option from his perspective.

Arsenal must now decide whether to retain Martinelli as part of their squad or listen to offers that meet their valuation. For the moment, the Brazilian’s position is clear: he does not want a move to Galatasaray.