Gabriel Martinelli has emerged as a surprise transfer target for Galatasaray, with the Turkish giants adding the Arsenal winger to their shortlist.
According to leading Italian transfer journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Martinelli is one of the wide players being considered by Galatasaray as they explore a major attacking signing this summer.
Their primary pursuit has been AC Milan star Rafael Leao, but Martinelli has now emerged as an alternative should Galatasaray fail to land the Portugal international.
Di Marzio reports that Martinelli is an option the Turkish club “like”, although Arsenal’s position on potentially allowing the Brazilian to leave remains unclear.
That could become particularly significant following the latest developments surrounding Vinicius Junior.
Arsenal had been pushing to sign the Real Madrid superstar and reportedly made an extraordinary proposal to convince him to move to north London.
However, Fabrizio Romano has now reported that Vinicius is closing in on a new long-term agreement with Real Madrid, making his departure increasingly unlikely.
Di Marzio specifically highlights the Vinicius situation when discussing Martinelli, suggesting Arsenal would probably need to find a replacement before considering allowing the 25-year-old to leave.
Galatasaray’s interest in Martinelli comes after they made an attempt to sign Leao on a permanent deal.
Their proposal was not considered sufficient by Milan, and it remains to be seen whether Galatasaray will return with an improved offer. Leao’s willingness to make the move is another potential obstacle, with the winger currently said to be happy at Milan under Ruben Amorim and his new coaching staff.
That leaves Martinelli as another high-profile name on Galatasaray’s shortlist.
There is no suggestion at this stage that an offer has been submitted to Arsenal or that negotiations are underway for the Brazilian.
However, the interest creates another situation for Arsenal to watch during the closing stages of the transfer window.
Martinelli has been an important member of Mikel Arteta’s squad, and losing him would leave Arsenal needing another significant attacking addition – particularly if their ambitious pursuit of Vinicius ultimately ends with the Real Madrid star signing a new contract.
For now, Martinelli is simply an option on Galatasaray’s shortlist, but the situation could become one to watch if their pursuit of Leao fails.