Morning.
We will deal with the Group Defend and group information tomorrow, so let’s do a fast Saturday round-up, beginning with Gabriel Martinelli making it clear he doesn’t need to be a part of Galatasaray after Andrea Berta drummed up some curiosity from the Turkish membership by way of his connections there.
🚨 EXCL: Gabriel Martinelli camp inform Arsenal winger has little interest in becoming a member of Galatasaray. #AFC obtained €45m bid from Turkish membership & open to buying and selling if appropriate gives arrive however #Galatasaray not on agenda for 25yo Brazil worldwide 🚨@theathleticfc.bsky.socialwww.nytimes.com/athletic/751…
— David Ornstein (@david-ornstein.bsky.social) 2026-08-14T15:49:06.282Z
I absolutely perceive his reluctance to go there. He’s 25, a Premier League winner, and a full Brazil worldwide – there should be higher choices accessible to him if he strikes. And what seems to be fairly apparent is that Arsenal are attempting to try this. Which makes me assume, after the week we’ve had with all of the drama surrounding one other participant, is it simply an uncanny coincidence that Myles Lewis-Skelly was provided to Chelsea and Man Utd?
I get that there’s in all probability some stress on the Sporting Director to make gross sales to assist steadiness the books. That’s a part of his remit and accountability, however I’ve to query the best way he’s going about it. No matter our have to generate incoming income, and I can’t sit right here this morning and say I haven’t usually written about our have to promote higher, providing gamers to golf equipment they’ve little interest in becoming a member of doesn’t really feel like a sensible technique to me.
On the one hand, you can argue it alerts different golf equipment to their potential availability, however until there have been open strains of communication about this tactic with the gamers, you run the danger of damaging relationships. My understanding is that mentioned communication hasn’t precisely been forthcoming, so for those who’re a Martinelli or a Lewis-Skelly, and also you uncover the membership view you as sellable as a result of stuff like this comes out, it’s bought to be upsetting.
Sure, they’re footballers and really effectively paid, so your sympathy may be briefly provide, however one of many cornerstones of Mikel Arteta’s time has been how he’s constructed a squad with actual unity and togetherness. This undermines that, not simply with these two gamers, however everybody else who might be questioning in the event that they may be subsequent, in addition to, I’m positive, feeling a bit aggrieved on behalf of their teammates and pals. Maybe it’s about protecting folks on their toes, however I can’t assist assume there’s a greater method to function.
I feel we additionally should acknowledge that Arteta isn’t distinct from these choices, however the methodology of making an attempt to make these gross sales doesn’t appear aligned with what we consider to be his basic outlook. I could possibly be unsuitable there, we all know he’s a ruthless man and when he feels your time is finished at Arsenal there’s sometimes no getting back from that, however I fear these cack-handed makes an attempt to make gross sales may effectively be counter-productive.
In switch information, there are experiences we’re taking a look at Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah as a defensive different to Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa who’s considered as too costly. I don’t assume any signing we make right here goes to get the juices flowing, we want a strong, reliable sufficient back-up defender who can play in two positions. They’re not usually essentially the most thrilling arrivals. So if it’s Konsa, or Quansah, or Billy-Bob Bonsa, they’ll should decide quickly sufficient.
On additional incomings, Arteta mentioned at his press convention yesterday:
We are attempting the utmost that we will to finish up in 14 days, 13 days, in the absolute best situation to compete for each potential competitors.
What else can he say actually? He mentioned he’s joyful along with his squad typically, and that there are some gamers who in all probability want to maneuver on, which is difficult to argue with. It’s value taking a step again and remembering that we do have an excellent squad, however with out that addition of attacking stardust or expertise, this switch window goes to really feel a bit underwhelming. Let’s see what they will provide you with.
He was additionally requested about his contract which, proper now, stays unsigned, however he made positives noises on that, saying:
You don’t have to fret about any of that as a result of I need to be right here, I’m extraordinarily joyful, I really feel very grateful to work with the those who I work with and each time we’ve got the likelihood we’ll resolve that and that’s it.
There’s at all times one other precedence I feel and that’s the best way we’ve been treating it as a result of everyone feels comfy that the time on the contract isn’t going to be a problem. My will definitely is to be right here and I’m very joyful right here and my feeling from the membership is similar one so I feel that’s why everyone is doing issues in a very natural method.
Proper now, the switch window is the plain precedence, and with out being too cynical, Arteta not signing a brand new deal whereas pushing for the membership to enhance the squad with gamers like Vinicius Junior does give some him leverage. I don’t assume that’s the primary cause it hasn’t been accomplished, however I additionally don’t assume it’s totally unrelated. A small issue, maybe.
Proper, I’ll go away it there for now, with extra on the Group Defend sport in tomorrow’s weblog. For those who can’t wait that lengthy although, be a part of us over on Patreon for a preview podcast a bit later this morning. We do these, and rather more, all through the season, so if you’d like that, in addition to supporting every thing we do on Arseblog, it’s simply $6 a month (+ gross sales tax/VAT if relevant) and we’d be delighted to have you ever alongside.
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Okay, have an important Saturday of us.
