Gabriel and Martinelli Set to Rejoin Arsenal in Dublin
Arsenal’s pre-season has already slipped into gear, but in Dublin on Wednesday night it should finally sound a little more familiar.
The Brazilian heartbeat is due back.
Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, both afforded extended leave after Brazil’s run to the World Cup last 16, have watched the early stages of Arsenal’s summer from a distance. They missed the behind-closed-doors win over MK Dons on July 25 and were spectators again as their team-mates eased past Girona.
They are unlikely to be watching for much longer.
Brazilians back in the frame
The pair linked up with the squad in Spain last week, training with the group ahead of the Girona friendly but left out of the matchday squad entirely by Mikel Arteta. That was caution, not demotion. With several more sessions now banked, both are expected to step onto the Aviva Stadium pitch against Betis as Arsenal’s preparations sharpen.
Arteta has already shown his hand with returning stars. Against Girona he treated Piero Hincapie, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres with care, giving each just 30 minutes before withdrawing them. The same managed approach could await Gabriel and Martinelli in Dublin: minutes, not a marathon, but enough to feel the ball, the crowd, the rhythm again.
Martinelli’s return carries particular intrigue. Max Dowman and Christos Tzolis both found the net in the 4-1 win over Girona, yet the summer signing on the left flank may have to step aside to allow the Brazilian to reclaim his favoured wing. Pre-season is about auditions, but some roles still feel written in ink.
Defensive juggling and a cautious call
At the back, Arteta has one eye on the calendar and the other on the medical report.
Ben White came through 60 minutes unscathed on his comeback from a knee injury, his first appearance in three months. That alone is a small victory. It also makes a repeat outing less certain. Throwing him straight into another intense run-out would be a gamble the manager does not need to take in August.
If White is wrapped in cotton wool, youngster Marli Salmon steps into view at right-back. Jurrien Timber remains doubtful, so the academy defender could be handed another opportunity to show he can handle the pace and physicality demanded on that flank. Pre-season has a habit of elevating one or two names; Salmon has a window.
Gabriel’s likely involvement in central defence will help settle the structure. His presence, even in a limited stint, restores a familiar axis and allows Arteta to shuffle around a more established core.
Midfield belongs to the kids – for now
The real experimentation lies in midfield.
Club captain Martin Odegaard is due back this week after his post-World Cup break, but the timing works against him. With little training in his legs, he is not expected to feature against Betis, which opens the door again for Ethan Nwaneri.
The teenager impressed against Girona and should get another chance to run the game from midfield, to demand the ball rather than hide from it. These are the nights that accelerate a young career.
He is likely to be flanked in the engine room by Havertz and Myles Lewis-Skelly. It is not Arsenal’s first-choice trio, but it is an intriguing blend: Havertz’s experience and movement, Lewis-Skelly’s energy, Nwaneri’s touch and vision. They are filling gaps left by a senior group still on holiday – Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino all remain on their breaks – and by a transfer pursuit that has hit resistance, with Newcastle rejecting a bid for Bruno Guimaraes.
So the kids keep the shirts for now. They have earned that right.
Building towards something bigger
The 4-1 win over Girona showed there is already a cutting edge in this squad. Dowman and Tzolis took their chances, Gyokeres got minutes, and the patterns of play looked recognisable. But Betis in Dublin feels like a different checkpoint.
This time, Gabriel should marshal the back line. This time, Martinelli is expected to stretch the pitch down the left, cutting inside, drawing fouls, forcing defenders to turn. This time, the spine looks more like the one that will carry Arsenal into the new season.
Arteta will still manage workloads, still pull players early, still treat this as preparation rather than a statement. Yet with the Brazilians back, White edging towards full fitness, and Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly refusing to fade into the background, the night in Dublin offers something more than just another friendly.
It offers a glimpse of how Arsenal intend to blend established stars and hungry youngsters when the real games begin.
