Arsenal starter ‘would like to go’ in ‘next phase’ of transfers as destination narrowed down | OneFootball

Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli “would ideally like to go” this summer in “next phase of deals” before the window shuts, according to reports.

The Gunners have not been as fast to land their targets as some other Premier League clubs this summer with Illan Meslier and Christos Tzolis the main arrivals, while Piero Hincapie made his loan move from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent deal.

Arsenal won the Premier League last season as Mikel Arteta guided them to a first title in 22 years, while they narrowly missed out on Champions League, losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.

And the Gunners want quality over quantity this summer as they look to improve their starting XI with Vinicius Junior emerging as their top target in attack after refusing to match the £117m Chelsea paid for Morgan Rogers.

Leandro Trossard has already left for Besiktas with Tzolis already coming in to replace the Belgium international, while there have been rumours that Brazil left-winger Martinelli could also leave.

And now former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson insists that Martinelli is looking to leave Arsenal if possible but warned that only a small number of clubs can afford to pay the £50m asking price for the Brazilian.

Borson told Football Insider: “These players are going to move on. And for Arsenal, it’s like people like [Gabriel] Martinelli, who would ideally like to go.

“I think those are the next phase of deals that are going to happen. We’ve had the very big deals. Now we’re going to get some of the clearing of squads.

“But those deals are going to be much harder to do because those players are older and the teams that are interested really are only in the Premier League.

“Almost nobody can afford £50m outside of two or three teams in Spain, two or three teams in Germany, probably one team in Italy right now, maybe Juventus.”

Former Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham scout, Bryan King, reckons that Martinelli is likely to leave if Vinicius Junior arrives at Arsenal.

King told Football Insider: “What would happen with the wide left player that they’ve got, Martinelli? Tricky.

“I just wonder what Arsenal would do with him [if Vinicius Jr arrives]. Because he’s similar, he’s got good pace.

“Well, I would definitely sooner have had him than [Alejandro] Garnacho [for Aston Villa], that is for sure.”

BBC Sport has reported that Martinelli is not overly keen on leaving, a recent report claimed: ‘It is understood that Martinelli, who has up to two years left on his contract, is happy at Arsenal and will only consider leaving for an opportunity that suits him.’