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Arsenal pre-season## Arsenal will welcome back both their Brazilian stars Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli ahead of the friendly with Girona
09:50, 29 Jul 2026
Arsenal are set to welcome their Brazilian duo Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli back to the squad ahead of their first official pre-season match of the summer. While some fans might have hoped it was Vinicius Junior and Bruno Guimaraes making their way to the champions, and they might yet both do just that, for now, their title-winning pair will be completing their holidays and rejoining their teammates.
football.london has been told that both Gabriel and Martinelli will be joining the group ahead of the clash with Girona on Saturday. No decision has yet been made on whether either will feature; however, the Arsenal medical staff will conduct final checks and assess the condition of both players.
Both players featured for Brazil at the World Cup. Gabriel was a key figure in the heart of Carlo Ancelotti’s defence, but was beaten in the latest battle with Erling Haaland as the striker scored twice for Norway to eliminate Brazil.
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Martinelli scored the winning goal against Japan in added time, which earned him a start against Norway. Ancelotti faced much criticism for surrendering the threat after bringing the Arsenal man off, which led to Norway’s goals.
Martinelli has been linked with a move away from Arsenal; however, so far, there has been very little concrete news as to whether a departure will take place. The 25-year-old has one year remaining on his contract, although there is an option for a further year.
Arsenal’s interest in Vinicius Junior, combined with the acquisition of Christos Tzolis, has raised questions about Martinelli’s capacity to get regular minutes in the team’s defence of the title. Were the club to be successful in tempting Vinicius Junior to Arsenal, it would almost certainly spell the end for Martinelli’s hopes of establishing himself again on the left wing for the Gunners despite Leandro Trossard’s exit.
Yet pre-season will allow Mikel Arteta to get a good look at his squad and see where the strengths are and who is in the best form, too. Before the Premier League starts on August 21, five days prior, Arsenal will take on Manchester City in the FA Community Shield in Cardiff, concluding their pre-season schedule.
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Mikel Arteta
Arsenal pre-season
Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Magalhaes
Christos Tzolis