Martin Keown urges Mikel Arteta not to sell £60m Arsenal star | Football

Martin Keown understands why Arsenal want to sell Gabriel Martinelli but is hopeful that Mikel Arteta keeps the Brazil star at the Emirates.

Arsenal have made a fantastic start to the 2026/27 season, beating Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield, before defeating Coventry City by the same scoreline in their opening Premier League clash.

Martinelli failed to make the matchday squad for either match however, fuelling speculation that his seven-year spell in north London is over.

The forward’s form dipped last season, recording just one goal and four assists as Arsenal won the Premier League, though he was more productive in the Champions League and FA Cup.

Summer signing Christos Tzolis has performed brilliantly on the left-flank in Martinelli’s absence and the Gunners are still looking to sign another forward before deadline day, with a record-breaking transfer for Julian Alvarez still on the cards.

Martinelli has already turned down a transfer to Galatasaray but is reportedly open to joining Al Hilal. Talks are underway with the Saudi Pro League side, with Arsenal wanting up to £60million for the 25-year-old.

Ian Wright has publicly criticised Arsenal’s treatment of the player and though Keown doesn’t share he same sentiment, he does believes Martinelli still has much to offer Arteta.

Asked if Arsenal had outgrown Martinelli, the Gunners legend told talkSPORT: ‘No, I think there’s still a place for him. I thought he turned a corner at the end of last season.

‘He [Tzolis] has fitted in remarkably well. So, they [Arsenal] may be looking at that and there may be somebody else in the window that they need the money for from Gabriel Martinelli.

‘They can’t allow his contract to run out. Business has to be done, and everyone has to accept that.

‘He will know exactly his position at the football club, that’s without a doubt. If he does go, it’s with a heavy heart that he goes because he’s a player that I’ve admired in the way that he’s played.

‘But if they’re going to the next level and he’s got a year left of his contract…’

Martinelli has indeed entered the final year of his contract but Arsenal hold the option to extend it until 2028.

While his future may not lie in north London, Tzolis looks set to have a huge impact for the Gunners this season, recording three assists in his first two games.

‘Tzolis? Yeah, exceptional,’ Keown added.

‘I think as good a debut as I’ve seen from a wide player. I might have to go back as far as Freddy Ljungberg, and he came off the bench in a 3-0 victory against Manchester United.

‘This kid, his decision making [is] excellent, the way he was working on that left-hand side with Riccardo Calafiori, already dove tailing. It’s worked really quickly, very well.

‘He’s exceeded expectations and it’s almost as if they’ve scoured Europe to find the equivalent of Leandro Trossard, that same sort of intelligence. This lad is maybe a bit quicker.

‘It’s a major upgrade on where he was at Norwich before. He’s certainly performed a lot better than he did the last time he would have been at the Emirates. But all of that has given him that Premier League experience to get off to a good start.’

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