The Martinelli situation stopped being speculation this weekend. Al-Hilal have made official club-to-club contact with Arsenal and are also talking to the player’s camp, with the Gunners holding out for something in the region of £60m against an opening offer nearer £50m. The significant part is Martinelli’s own position: having turned down a move to Galatasaray, who bid around €45m, he has now opened the door to Saudi Arabia. He is 25, has a year left on his contract, and Al-Hilal’s wage offer is understood to comfortably exceed the £180,000 a week he earns in north London.
Ian Wright’s criticism after the Coventry game looks better founded on the substance than the detail. Arteta has made it plain to Martinelli that he isn’t in his plans, which is presumably a large part of why the player’s stance on Saudi has shifted. But Arteta has also spoken to him directly about the omissions — it isn’t clear whether that happened before or after Wright went on air, and it does complicate the claim that nobody had told him anything.
A sale would leave the left flank thin. Trossard went to Beşiktaş for £17m in July, and while Christos Tzolis has started superbly, losing both senior options in one window is a lot. Which is the context for the Julián Álvarez noise: Arsenal have re-established contact with Atlético and the player’s representatives, and Arteta has spoken to him personally. The complication is that Álvarez has made clear his preference is Barcelona, and that Atlético will not negotiate with them. Treat it as live rather than likely.
Otherwise the men’s week is quiet, with Aston Villa away to come. The better story was at Meadow Park, where Arsenal Women beat Paris FC 1-0 through Olivia Smith’s 91st-minute curler into the top corner, cutting in from the left after Blackstenius found her. Renée Slegers gave debuts to five summer signings, Georgia Stanway among them, with Emily Fox at left-back and Mariona operating centrally behind the striker. Slegers was direct afterwards about what she wants fixed: six draws cost Arsenal the league last season, and the aim now is turning that kind of afternoon — a stubborn low block, chances that don’t quite come off — into three points.
Less encouraging at Hale End. The under-18s followed a goalless draw at West Brom with a 3-1 home defeat to Ipswich, Chris Atherton helping himself to a hat-trick before Emerson Nwaneri pulled one back in stoppage time. Adam Birchall’s side are still looking for a first win, with Blackburn away next. Maalik Hashi, on at half-time, is among those trying to force his way back into the picture.
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