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Gabriel Martinelli transfer news: Inter Milan are reportedly considering a late move for Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli before the summer transfer window slams shut, according to Corriere dello Sport. The Italian champions are said to be searching for an attacker who offers genuine unpredictability and can beat a man in one-versus-one situations. Martinelli fits squarely into that profile for them.
Gabriel Martinelli transfer news: Inter Milan set sights on Arsenal winger
Arsenal, for their part, are not ruling out a sale, but only if the terms work in their favour. That’s a significant qualifier. Martinelli, 25, already knocked back a formal £38 million (€45m) approach from Galatasaray earlier this window, making clear he wanted to stay competing at the top of European football rather than drop into the Turkish Super Lig. His contract at the Emirates runs until 2027, with Arsenal holding a club option for a further year, so there is absolutely no desperation to cash in.
What has increased the conversation is Christos Tzolis. The Greek winger started Arsenal’s 3-0 Community Shield win ahead of Martinelli, who wasn’t even included in the matchday squad. Mikel Arteta insists the Brazilian remains part of his plans, but those optics are hard to ignore. Across 2025/26, Martinelli posted 11 goals and seven assists in 53 appearances as Arsenal claimed the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final. No official bid from Inter has landed yet.
Gabriel Martinelli transfer news: Why Arsenal must hold firm
Selling Martinelli to Inter right now would be a reckless piece of business. Yes, his Premier League numbers dipped last season, one goal and four assists in 30 top-flight appearances, but his Champions League record told an entirely different story. Six goals and two assists across 14 European ties, including decisive contributions against elite opposition. That’s not a player in decline. That’s a player who produces when the stakes are highest.
Tactically, Serie A would blunt his most dangerous attribute. Martinelli’s game is built on pace, progressive carrying, and attacking the space behind high defensive lines. Italian football doesn’t offer those corridors in the same way. Moving there risks suffocating exactly what makes him dangerous.
Arsenal’s depth argument is equally strong. A club chasing back-to-back titles across four competitions can’t strip out a quality option from their attacking rotation with days left in the window. Any replacement, whether Julian Alvarez or Kenan Yildiz, would require a panicked pursuit under severe time pressure.
Read: Arsenal agree £51m deal to complete much awaited transfer of Premier League star
The financial case is straightforward. With the club option effectively extending his deal to 2028, Arsenal can comfortably demand upwards of £60-70 million just to open talks. Unless Inter blow past Arsenal’s outgoing transfer record by a considerable margin, Gabriel Martinelli transfer news should end with him staying put.