Ian Wright Criticizes Arsenal for Martinelli's Exile

Arsenal’s season began with a comfortable scoreline and an uncomfortable subplot.

Mikel Arteta’s side swept aside Coventry City 3-0 at the Emirates on Friday night, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard finding the net as the Premier League title defence opened on script. The football looked smooth. The atmosphere, upbeat.

But one name was missing. Completely.

Gabriel Martinelli was not just on the bench. He was nowhere near the squad.

The Brazilian, 25, has entered the final year of his contract and Arsenal are actively looking to move him on before the transfer window shuts. He was also left out of the Community Shield squad for the win over Manchester City last weekend. Two big games. Two total omissions.

For Ian Wright, that crosses a line.

Wright: “It makes me feel uncomfortable”

Speaking on Sky Sports after the Coventry win, the Arsenal legend did not hide his frustration at how the club are handling Martinelli’s situation.

“In respects to Martinelli and the way Martinelli has been treated at the moment it really makes me feel uncomfortable,” Wright said.

He pointed to the winger’s attitude and contribution over recent seasons as the foundation of his anger.

“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.”

The issue, in Wright’s eyes, is not simply that Arsenal are open to a sale. It’s how isolated Martinelli appears as the process plays out.

“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].”

Transfer tension and a rejected escape route

Martinelli has already attracted serious interest. Galatasaray lodged a £38 million bid last week, but the winger has made it clear he does not want to move to the Turkish league.

So he waits. Arsenal explore options. And, according to Wright, the player is left “in the dark” while a team he helped drive forward starts the season without him.

The contrast becomes sharper when you consider the competition for his place. Wright referenced the kind of scenario where an elite arrival would at least make the picture clear.

“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’.”

In other words: competition is fine. Being quietly frozen out is not.

“For him to be nowhere near it, it makes me feel sad for him,” Wright added.

Respect, reputation and a brutal business

This is the sharp edge of an elite squad evolving. Arsenal have pushed their level, tightened standards, and become ruthless with decisions. Plenty of players have felt that ruthlessness.

Wright’s point is that someone who has “done enough with this team” deserves clarity and dignity while those decisions are made.

“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.”

Arsenal walk away from opening night with three goals, three points and a clean sheet. The football side of the story looks healthy.

The question now is whether they can be just as sharp — and just as clear — in resolving the future of a player who once symbolised their new era of energy and ambition.