IAN WRIGHT CALLS OUT ARSENAL FOR TREATMENT OF GABRIEL MARTINELLI
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has spoken out and declared the treatment of Gabriel Martinelli saying he's 'uncomfortable'
AFCFLAIR
23rd August 2026 - 2:27AM
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has slammed Arsenal for the treatment of Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli who has now been excluded from Mikel Arteta's Arsenal squad and put up for sale.
Gabriel Martinelli is among many of the names at Arsenal who are for sale this summer, and its expected that he will leave the club before the transfer window slams shut.
Gabriel Martinelli was left out of the Arsenal squad against Manchester City in the FA Community Shield win and again as Arsenal beat newly promoted Coventry City 3-0 in the first game of the 2026-27 Premier League campaign.
The isolation from the first-team has been a shock to many, including Arsenal legend Ian Wright who exclaimed his discomfort on how the Brazilian is being treated by Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.
"He always gives 100 per cent, we're not saying he's the greatest, but he's come up with some big moments for Arsenal in big games, and the way he's being treated at the end here – I know they might want him out and there's a lot of guys saying it's time for him to move on, but there's ways of doing that should suit him as well." Ian Wright said in a post-match review of Arsenal's win over Coventry on Friday.
When pressed to elaborate on what he meant regarding the treatment, Wright said: "Not being in the squad tonight, not being spoken to, doesn't know what's going on."
When asked whether he had direct knowledge of this, Wright confirmed: "Yes I do know this, I know this. Not being involved in the Community Shield squad, not being involved tonight, he doesn't know what's happening, he's got a year left.
"If you bring Vini in, that kind of level, Martinelli can say to himself, 'well okay they've brought him in and Tzolis, I might be third'. But if you're bringing in Tzolis and Madueke's there, you're thinking to yourself, 'I've got something to offer here'.
"So for him to be nowhere near it, just makes me feel a bit sad for him. I think he's done enough in this squad to be treated with a bit more respect than he's been treated at the moment."
Arsenal's hunt for a new winger is still underway despite the signing of Greek winger Christos Tzolis, Arsenal missed out on their main target Morgan Rogers to Chelsea early on in the transfer window and then Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid.