Arteta praises departing Brazilians and defends Arsenal’s summer decisions

It is probably too early to know exactly how things were left between Mikel Arteta and the departing Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. Whatever happened behind the scenes, the manager was quick to thank both Brazilians for their contributions to his Arsenal project.

In truth, neither player’s future at the Emirates had looked particularly secure for some time. Even so, it was a surprise to see both ushered towards the exit in quick succession, particularly after Leandro Trossard had already completed his move to Besiktas. Arsenal’s only attacking addition, after all, was Christos Tzolis.

Their destinations also raised a few eyebrows. Had supporters been told Martinelli and Jesus were leaving for Barcelona and Al Hilal, most would probably have assumed the younger man was heading to Catalonia while the elder statesman picked up the lucrative Saudi offer. Such are the topsy-turvy economics of modern football, it played out the other way around.

Martinelli joined Al Hilal for a club-record €70 million and will reportedly earn €20 million a year plus bonuses. Jesus, meanwhile, accepted a pay cut to move to Camp Nou, joining the club that tried to sign him nine years ago before he eventually chose Manchester City.

Reflecting on Martinelli’s departure, Arteta spoke warmly about the player’s development during his seven years in north London.

“With great gratitude, it’s been a pleasure to work with him, to be part of this journey with him.

“The Gabi that I met and the Gabi that just left, it’s a huge transformation, both in the personal side and in the professional side.

“I think the impact that he had for the club, his ambition, his love for the game and the way he has, I think, helped us to grow and achieve our goals. I think he’s been a critical player. The story ends and we wish him all the very best in a different one. This is part of football.”

Whether Martinelli was blindsided by the club’s decision to sell him remains unclear. What is certain is that he did not sound ready to go. His emotional parting message began with a line that received more than 900,000 likes on Instagram in its first 24 hours.

“The day has come, and honestly, I still don’t feel ready to write a goodbye…”

Jesus’ farewell to supporters was more perfunctory, although still laced with pride. When he joined Arsenal in 2022, he made it his mission to help restore the club to the top of the Premier League. It felt a little fanciful at the time, but the belief and winning mentality he brought helped transform a young squad. His influence remained significant even as injuries gradually reduced his contribution on the pitch.

Little wonder, then, that Arteta was keen to give the striker his flowers.

“Gabi’s gone to Barcelona, which I take the opportunity as well to give him a huge thank you because he was a massive contributor for us to change the dynamic and the energy in and around this club.

“I think when Gabi came in he brought this energy, this belief within, this aura, that’s really helped achieve what happened next. And now, yeah, he has an amazing opportunity to enjoy one of the biggest clubs in the world, and a beautiful place to live as well, and we are happy for him.”

Of course, Martinelli and Jesus are not the first popular players to find themselves on the wrong side of Arteta’s ruthless streak. Emile Smith Rowe, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Aaron Ramsdale and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all abruptly removed from the first-team picture before being sold. Very few footballers are untouchable, especially at a club trying to remain among the game’s elite.

At the same time, it would be wrong to paint Arteta as a bloodthirsty, win-at-all-costs monster. Transfer windows are emotionally difficult for managers too, particularly when they involve saying goodbye to players with whom they have built strong relationships. There is also the constant demand for something new, both from within the club and among supporters, which can make it easy to overlook what is already there.

“That’s human nature,” reflected Arteta.

“When you talk to people, you ask people normally, “What is on your bucket list?” And people write a lot about their bucket list. And sometimes we forget the reverse bucket list, which is the things that you already have in your life that are incredible. But you put so much emphasis on them that nothing seems to be enough.

“It’s not only in football, it happens in life, and I think it’s very important to value that. That’s what I said about the squad and how much I love them.

“Our players, they really value what we have, and what we have created together. And the ambition is great, they have the ambition always to be better, especially to evolve the things that we already have within the club, that for sure has to be there.

“At least we don’t lose perspective of what we already have, which is amazing, and we are very lucky to have it.”

Whether Arsenal were right to part with Martinelli and Jesus (and Trossard) will ultimately be judged by what happens next. For now, Arteta’s message is clear. Sentiment has its place, but so does the need to keep moving forward.

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