Gabriel Martinelli Rejects Galatasaray Move Amid €45 Million Bid
Gabriel Martinelli has no intention of leaving Arsenal for Galatasaray, despite a major offer from the Turkish champions.
According to The Athletic, Galatasaray have put a 45 million euro bid on the table – around 38.4 million pounds – in an attempt to lure the Brazilian winger away from north London. The proposal has been heard. It has not been welcomed.
Martinelli’s camp have made it clear to Arsenal’s hierarchy that he does not want the move in this window. The club may be open to listening to serious offers for certain players as they juggle finances, but on the player’s side there is no appetite for a switch to Istanbul.
Arsenal’s winger puzzle
Martinelli’s contract runs until 2027, with Arsenal holding an option to extend it by a further year to 2028. Despite that security, talks over a fresh renewal have not started. At 25, he sits in that bracket of players the club could, in theory, cash in on if a huge bid arrived.
But there is a difference between a player being “sellable” on a spreadsheet and actually wanting to pack his bags. Martinelli is not pushing. Quite the opposite.
Arsenal have already moved in the wide areas this summer. The Gunners signed Greek winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, and they explored an ambitious move for Vinicius Junior before the Brazilian extended his deal with Real Madrid. The search for more firepower out wide has not translated into a desire from Martinelli to step aside.
Balancing the books
Arsenal entered this summer knowing they would have to sell. The Premier League champions have spent heavily across recent windows, and the current market has been framed by the need to bring money in.
Leandro Trossard has already gone, joining Besiktas for 20 million euros. Christian Norgaard has moved to Everton in a 7 million pound deal. Those fees help, but inside the club there is a recognition that more outgoing business is likely required before the deadline.
That reality is why players like Martinelli inevitably attract attention. A 45 million euro offer from Galatasaray is exactly the kind of bid that tests a club’s resolve. For now, though, Arsenal are dealing with a player who simply does not want to go.
Established pillar, not a spare part
Martinelli arrived from Ituano in 2019 as a raw talent. He is no longer a prospect. He has played 278 matches for Arsenal’s first team, scoring 62 goals, and has grown into a central figure in Mikel Arteta’s attacking structure.
Last season underlined his status. The Brazilian featured in 53 games across all competitions, hitting 11 goals and supplying 7 assists as Arsenal lifted the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final. Those are not the numbers of a fringe option.
Galatasaray have made their move. Arsenal need sales. Yet the Brazilian’s stance is firm. In a summer of churn and calculation, Martinelli looks determined to keep his story in north London going.
