Roma Targets Gabriel Martinelli as Left-Sided Game-Changer

Roma’s hunt for a left-sided game-changer has taken a sharp new turn – straight towards north London.

Gian Piero Gasperini has made one request crystal clear for his 2026-27 Roma: a right-footed forward who can attack relentlessly from the left, cut inside with menace, and live at full throttle for 90 minutes. It’s a role that has underpinned his best sides, and the club has spent most of the window chasing big names to fill it.

Mason Greenwood. Antonio Nusa. Alejandro Garnacho. All floated, all studied, all, so far, out of reach.

Martinelli emerges from the shadows

Into that vacuum steps Gabriel Martinelli.

According to Corriere dello Sport, sporting director Tony D’Amico has now zeroed in on the 25-year-old Arsenal winger as a serious alternative to those earlier, more complicated targets. The timing is intriguing. Martinelli is heading into the final year of his deal at The Emirates, his contractual future left hanging in the air with no clear sign of a renewal on the horizon.

His situation has become even more delicate with the arrival of Christos Tzolis. The Greek international’s signing has nudged Martinelli down Mikel Arteta’s hierarchy, crowding an already competitive attacking line. For a player who once looked like a cornerstone of Arsenal’s future, the path to regular starts suddenly looks far less certain.

That’s where Roma sense an opening.

Gasperini wants a wide forward who can drive inside from the left, attack defenders with aggression, and finish with conviction. Martinelli ticks every tactical box: high energy, vertical running, and the ability to turn half-chances into goals. D’Amico is now exploring whether that profile can be prised away from north London at a price Roma can live with.

The price of ambition

The idea is seductive. The numbers are not.

Corriere dello Sport reports that Arsenal have no intention of letting Martinelli leave on the cheap, even with his contract running down. Any deal is expected to require a fee in the region of €40 million to €45 million – a heavy outlay for a Roma side that still has to balance ambition with financial reality.

And that’s only half the equation. Matching Martinelli’s personal terms presents another serious obstacle. Roma’s wage structure has very little room for Premier League-level salaries, and the Giallorossi will need to be creative if they want to build a package that tempts the Brazilian without destabilising the rest of the dressing room.

So the interest is real. The fit is obvious. The deal, for now, is complicated.

Plan B in Portugal

Roma cannot afford to wait and hope.

While D’Amico keeps the Martinelli option alive, the club is actively working parallel tracks to ensure Gasperini is not left short in a key position. One name has climbed quickly up the list: Rodrigo Mora of Porto.

Reports over the weekend suggested Roma are prepared to move decisively for the Portuguese club’s rising talent, exploring an outright purchase. Mora offers something different in age and cost, but not in principle: a younger, potentially more affordable attacker who still matches the technical and tactical demands laid down by Gasperini.

It is the classic fork in the road for a club in Roma’s position. Proven Premier League quality at a premium, or a high-upside project from a league that has long been a talent factory?

Galatasaray raise the stakes

Roma are not alone in circling.

Interest in Martinelli has also surfaced from the Turkish Super Lig, with Galatasaray reportedly already placing a bid of around £34 million for the Arsenal winger. For the reigning Turkish champions to go that high, despite his recent dip in goalscoring numbers, underlines how highly Martinelli is still rated across Europe.

That offer sets a reference point. It also ramps up the pressure on any club hoping to negotiate a discount based on his contract situation or his reduced role under Arteta.

For Roma, the message is clear: if they truly want Martinelli, they will have to fight for him – and pay for him.

Now the question is whether the Giallorossi push their chips to the centre of the table for a ready-made star, or turn to the next generation and trust Gasperini to shape it.