Gabriel Martinelli rejects £38.5m Galatasaray move
Gabriel Martinelli has turned down a move to Galatasaray after the Turkish champions tabled a £38.5million (€45m) offer for the Arsenal forward, reports BritPanorama.
The bid would have made Martinelli Arsenal’s most expensive departure in their history, eclipsing the £35m received from Liverpool for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back in 2017.
Despite rejecting the approach, Martinelli is not actively pursuing an exit from the Emirates Stadium. Multiple reports have confirmed the winger’s stance, with his camp making clear that a switch to the Turkish Super Lig holds no appeal at this point in his career.
David Ornstein of The Athletic was among the first to report the development, writing: “Gabriel Martinelli camp inform Arsenal winger has no interest in joining Galatasaray. #AFC received €45m bid from Turkish club & open to trading if suitable offers arrive but #Galatasaray not on agenda for 25yo Brazil international.”
Fabrizio Romano echoed that assessment, stating: “Gabriel Martinelli never considered a move to Turkey at this stage of his career as realistic option. Nothing expected to happen in the upcoming weeks with Turkish clubs, including Galatasaray.”
Arsenal remain willing to let the 25-year-old depart should an appropriate proposal emerge from one of Europe’s leading leagues. However, no concrete interest has yet surfaced from clubs in England, Spain, Germany, France or Italy. Bayern Munich reportedly had Martinelli on their shortlist last summer before opting to sign Luis Diaz from Liverpool instead.
AS Roma have been loosely linked with the winger, though his wage demands are understood to exceed what the Serie A side are prepared to offer. Following Martinelli’s rejection, Galatasaray have wasted little time identifying an alternative in AC Milan’s Rafael Leao as they seek to bolster their attacking options before the window closes.
Martinelli’s contract with Arsenal runs until 2027, with the club holding an option to extend it by an additional 12 months. He made 53 appearances last season, contributing 11 goals across all competitions, and also scored for Brazil during their 2026 World Cup match against Japan. The Gunners have already moved to reshape their left flank, bringing in 24-year-old Christos Tzolis following Leandro Trossard’s sale to Besiktas earlier in the window. Mikel Arteta’s side have also explored moves for Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior, though the former chose Chelsea whilst the latter signed a new deal at Real Madrid. Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola remains on Arsenal’s radar, although the Frenchman is reportedly more inclined to join Liverpool should he leave the Ligue 1 side.
As transfer windows close amidst swirling speculation, Martinelli’s decision underscores the often labyrinthine nature of football negotiations — a landscape where ambition can meet uncertainty, and sometimes, the heart rules over the prospect of greener pastures.
