Ian Wright has criticised Arsenal and Mikel Arteta after Gabriel Martinelli was left out of the squad for Friday night's 3-0 win over Coventry City. The Gunners began their Premier League title defence with goals from Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard at the Emirates Stadium, but Martinelli was absent entirely as the club looks to sell the Brazilian winger before the summer transfer window closes.
Martinelli left out amid transfer uncertainty
The 25-year-old, who has a year left on his contract, was also omitted from Arteta's squad for the Community Shield victory over Manchester City last Sunday. Martinelli was the subject of a £38 million bid from Galatasaray last week, but he has told Arsenal he does not want a move to the Turkish league.
Wright, speaking to Sky Sports after the Coventry match, said Martinelli is being kept in the dark over his future. 'In respects to Martinelli and the way Martinelli has been treated at the moment it really makes me feel uncomfortable,' he said. '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: 'It makes me feel sad for him'
Wright added that Martinelli does not know what is happening with his future. '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 also suggested that Martinelli could still compete for a place if new signings arrive, saying: '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'.'
'For him to be nowhere near it, it makes me feel sad for him. 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.'
