Reports in Brazil and the UK have linked Gabriel Martinelli with a move from Arsenal to Al-Hilal, while suggesting that his exclusion from Mikel Arteta's squad has caused unease among some team-mates. The claims have prompted scrutiny of Arsenal's handling of a player who has been at the club for seven years, but the more dramatic suggestions of a dressing-room split are not supported by the detail currently available.
A departure appears to be taking shape
Multiple outlets report that Arsenal are prepared to sell Martinelli before the transfer deadline and that Al-Hilal are the likeliest destination after Galatasaray were reportedly rejected. The mooted fee is around £50million, which would make the Brazilian Arsenal's biggest outgoing transfer if completed.
Martinelli is said to have less than a year remaining on his contract, although Arsenal hold an additional-year option. That contractual position helps explain why this summer may be viewed internally as the right time to sell: retaining him without a new agreement would reduce the club's leverage later on.
Football.london reports that the 25-year-old has not been included in the squads for Arsenal's Community Shield win over Manchester City or their opening league victory against Coventry. It also states that Arsenal have been attempting to move on Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira as part of a wider reshaping of the squad.
Those details point to a fairly clear football and transfer decision. They do not, by themselves, establish that there has been a personal feud between Arteta and Martinelli, or that the manager has lost support among his players.
What is actually known about squad unrest?
The reports driving the reaction trace back to ESPN Brasil, which said Martinelli had been left out at the beginning of the campaign and did not receive a medal after Arsenal's Super Cup success. It added that other members of the group felt uncomfortable with the situation.
That is a limited account, and it has been expanded significantly in some subsequent headlines. Several publications have characterised the issue as Arsenal players taking Martinelli's side or being unhappy with Arteta. But no player has publicly criticised the manager, and there is no detailed reporting of a confrontation, a divided camp or a challenge to Arteta's authority.
There is an important distinction between sympathy and rebellion. A long-serving colleague being left out while a transfer is pursued is likely to produce personal support within any squad. It does not automatically mean players oppose the decision to sell, still less that a squad-wide dispute is developing.
The question over the medal adds another layer, but remains short on context. It is unclear whether Martinelli's absence was tied to eligibility, a selection-related administrative decision or another practical matter. Without that explanation, it is difficult to judge whether the incident reflects an unusually harsh approach or an unfortunate consequence of an imminent exit.
Respect, selection and the transfer market
Ian Wright has offered the strongest public criticism of Arsenal's approach. Speaking after the Coventry match, the former Arsenal forward argued that Martinelli deserved greater consideration given his effort and contribution in major moments, even if a move is considered best for both parties.
That view is not necessarily incompatible with Arsenal's position. Clubs regularly remove a prospective sale from matchday plans to avoid injury, protect a deal or create space for players expected to stay. Yet the method matters, particularly with a player who has made 278 appearances and scored 62 goals for the club, according to football.london.
Arteta's task is to balance a ruthless squad rebuild with the standards he expects the group to uphold. If Martinelli is no longer central to the manager's plans, Arsenal can reasonably seek a sale while his market value remains substantial. But a public exclusion without a clear explanation can create the impression that a player is being discarded rather than transitioned out.
That perception has consequences beyond one transfer. Arsenal will want current players and potential recruits to see a demanding club that still treats departing servants fairly. Equally, they will not want emotional attachment to make it impossible to refresh a forward line when form, contract timing and recruitment plans point elsewhere.
The next steps will define the story
An Al-Hilal agreement would likely reduce the immediate noise, especially if Martinelli is able to speak positively about the move. Arsenal could then direct the income towards another attacking addition, with reports continuing to mention Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez as an ambitious target.
Until then, the central issue is not evidence of a civil war. It is whether Arsenal can complete a significant sale without allowing the treatment of a popular squad member to overshadow the sporting rationale. The available reporting indicates discomfort around Martinelli's exclusion, but not the scale of internal conflict suggested by the loudest headlines.