Barcelona were hot on the trail of Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams during the summer but were knocked back by the winger, who instead committed his future to the Basque club.
Hansi Flick is still keen on signing a new left winger though and a report in Spain claims Martinelli – who has been in the Barcelona ‘spotlight’ for some time – was ‘the main Plan B’.
The Catalans are strapped for cash and so offered two different players in exchange.
Ferran Torres, who joined Barcelona from Manchester City for £45m in January 2022, was at one stage thought to be on Mikel Arteta’s radar and the forward was ‘seduced’ by the chance to work under the Spanish boss.
But at the point he was offered to the Gunners, during the summer transfer window, the move was ‘completely ruled out’ as the club ‘do not consider him to be at the necessary level to be able to help the team’.
A more attractive proposition to Arsenal is said to have been former Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen as Arteta ‘wants more alternatives in defence’ and views the Denmark international as ‘a very interesting reinforcement’ owing to his ‘versatility and experience’.
Arsenal ‘maintain an important interest’ in Christensen – whose contract expires in 2026 – but they ‘didn’t consider the idea of an exchange’ for Martinelli, as Arteta and the Gunners chief consider the Brazilian ‘untouchable’ despite his patchy form of late.
Talking of patchy form, Ian Wright has urged the Arsenal fans not to turn on Gabriel Jesus, whom he feels they’ve grown frustrated with in recent weeks.
“Can I just say something about Gabriel Jesus because I feel the need to support him right now,” Wright said on his own podcast.
“I really, really do. I know there’s a feeling that we may have outgrown him but remember when Gabby came, he was a leveller, he levelled us up.
“Arsenal are at a certain level now but we will definitely need him at some stage so I think it’s important in this moment for the Arsenal fans to support him.
“They have to get behind him. Don’t be frustrated with the way he’s playing, he’s trying so hard at the moment and we’re going to need him.
“We need to make sure we give him confidence because he’s won this [the Premier League] four times. He’s been clutch in many situations before.
“Listening to the murmurings and the way the fans are… please man, back this guy, stay with him.
“He wants to do so well and it’s just not happening right now but he needs support, he really, really does.”
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