There was tentative interest from Aston Villa in Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli during the summer transfer window, but it did not progress, according to The Athletic.
Villa manager Unai Emery was desperate to bolster his attack at the Villa Park club all summer, and the 24-year-old Gunners star, with 163 Premier League games under his belt, was considered.
However, the Midlands club did not go in with any bid, but if Arsenal had received a ‘tempting offer’ for the Brazilian, they would have been open to considering a sale.
No such offer was forthcoming, and he has remained at the North London club.
Arsenal valued him at more than £60 million, but interest in him only reached the £40m mark, and they decided against pushing to sell him to avoid a long-running saga.
Villa eventually strengthened in attack on transfer deadline day, signing Jadon Sancho on a straight loan from Manchester United and Harvey Elliott on loan from Liverpool with an obligation to buy.
Concerns over breaking the Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) of the Premier League meant Villa were unable to splash the cash in the window, and they could not make any concrete move for Martinelli.
The Brazil international has suffered a huge dip in form in the last two seasons after notching 15 goals and six assists in 36 Premier League games in 2022-23.
He has been involved in 18 goals and 11 assists in 97 games since then, and not signing him could be good news for Villa.
Emery would have fancied his chances of getting the Arsenal star firing on all cylinders again, but signing him was always going to be a gamble.
The Villans will now hope Elliott and Sancho will hit the ground running when Premier League action resumes after the international break.
Reigning PFA Young Player of the Year Morgan Rogers also has plenty to prove as he looks to replicate his form from last term going forward.