As a player, nothing stings further than discovering that your club has quietly determined you are expendable, especially when the news reaches the wider footballing public before it is delivered directly to you.

That looks the case for Gabriel Martinelli, seven years after arriving in North London as an 18-year-old from Ituano. It looks as if the final chapter has already been written on his career at Arsenal.

Fresh off lifting a historic 2025-26 Premier League title, Arsenal are aggressively evolving. In Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta’s relentless pursuit of marginal gains, even beloved cornerstones of the rebuild are no longer untouchable.

So why are Arsenal open to selling, and what could lie ahead for both Martinelli and the club?

Why Gabriel Martinelli's Place at Arsenal Is Under Threat

Under Arteta, the Gunners' rise has been accompanied by difficult squad decisions and a willingness to move on from players when the club believes the team needs to evolve.

Unhelpful sentimentality was stripped away years ago to raise standards, including popular figures such as Aaron Ramsdale and Emile Smith Rowe as the club evolved its squad.

Martinelli’s situation follows that exact pattern of elite squad progression. His league output dropped significantly, scoring just one goal in 30 games. However, he still delivered 10 goals in cup competitions last term, including six vital Champions League strikes.

Being left out of both the Community Shield and opening Premier League clash against Coventry City matchday squads, with Arteta opting to name 16-year-old Max Dowman as wide cover on the bench suggested that Martinelli's position in the current pecking order may have changed.

With his current deal expiring next summer (though Arsenal hold an optional extension clause), the club hierarchy recognises this window could represent one of Arsenal's strongest opportunities to secure a significant transfer fee.

Read More: How Arsenal Discovered Gabriel Martinelli and What Comes Next for the Brazilian

Why Gabriel Martinelli Rejected a Move to Galatasaray

However, the player's camp quickly communicated to Andrea Berta that Martinelli has no intention of moving to Super Lig, maintaining that he will only consider leaving for a club in a top-five European league that matches his professional ambitions.

While intermediaries have actively sounded out interest across Europe, including interest from Inter, Martinelli’s preference remains fighting for his place at the Emirates unless an undeniable sporting opportunity materialises.

Arsenal’s open-market activity confirms an active effort to refresh their left-sided attacking dynamics.

Following the arrival of Greek international Christos Tzolis to replace Leandro Trossard, as well as the failed pursuit of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, Arsenal’s high-profile pursuits of elite wide threats indicate that the coaching staff see the left wing as an area where the team could improve its attacking output.

With Bukayo Saka holding down the right flank with world-class consistency, the left wing requires a similar output driver to maintain tactical balance across Arteta’s front line.

What Could Happen Next for Gabriel Martinelli at Arsenal?

The delicate aspect of Martinelli’s situation rests on how his departure is managed. Having given seven years of dedicated service, growing from a teenager who barely spoke the language into a Premier League champion, the lack of direct, upfront communication regarding his transfer listing risks veering into institutional coldness.

If Arsenal fail to secure a top-tier replacement before deadline day, pure pragmatism dictates that Martinelli could easily remain in the squad as a high-value rotational asset.