Arsenal brace for potential double departure ahead of transfer deadline
Arsenal are preparing for a potential double departure before next week’s transfer deadline, with Gabriel Martinelli cutting short his training session on Thursday as a move to Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal edges ever closer, reports BritPanorama.
The 25-year-old winger has been omitted from the matchday squad for both of the Gunners’ recent 3-0 wins over Manchester City and Coventry, with the deal believed to be worth in excess of £50 million.
Fellow Brazilian Gabriel Jesus, 29, was absent from training altogether ahead of Monday’s fixture against Aston Villa, raising further questions about his own future at the Emirates.
When asked about Martinelli’s early departure from the session, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta framed it as a private matter. He commented, “That’s another personal situation that we are dealing with,” while adding, “I think everybody knows and recognises how much we love Gabi.”
Arteta insisted that any resolution regarding Martinelli would require consent from all parties involved, stating, “Whatever the outcome is, it will be because everybody agrees to that.” This indicates that negotiations over the winger’s potential switch to Al-Hilal remain ongoing, though the Arsenal boss stopped short of confirming an imminent transfer.
Jesus’s absence from Thursday’s training was attributed by Arteta to squad management considerations. “It is something to do with the numbers that we have in the squad at the moment and the way we’re managing that kind of situation individually with all the players that have some personal situations,” he explained.
Italian club Napoli have previously expressed interest in Jesus during this window, fuelling speculation that he too could be on his way out. When pressed on whether Jesus’s situation might lead to a departure, Arteta remained vague: “Personal situations, whatever they are, I think it’s clear.”
On a positive note for Arsenal, recent acquisition Ezri Konsa has trained with the squad this week and could feature against his former side Villa on Monday. Arteta expressed no reservations about fielding the defender, confirming, “He’s available. He’s been training really well, and I think he will be available for selection.”
Dismissing any concerns about Konsa’s readiness to face the club he left, Arteta pointed to the player’s character, saying, “The way I’ve seen Ezri since day one, knowing his personality really well with all the feedback that I get from all the people that have worked with him, that’s nothing that concerns me.”
As the deadline looms, the uncertainty surrounding key players adds to the intrigue of Arsenal’s upcoming match against Aston Villa, reminding fans that in football, stability is often just a transfer window away.
