Mikel Arteta drops massive Arsenal transfer hint as three stars miss Community Shield
Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Ethan Nwaneri were left out of Arsenal's Community Shield squad, fueling speculation about potential departures.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Ank kumar
Mikel Arteta omitted Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Ethan Nwaneri from the 20-man Arsenal squad for the Community Shield clash against Manchester City. The absence of these players has fueled reports regarding their uncertain futures at the club.
Reports suggest that Galatasaray has lodged a £38 million bid for Martinelli, though the forward is reportedly reluctant to move to Turkey. Meanwhile, Napoli is actively in talks to sign Jesus, with a potential deal valued around £17 million.
The situation surrounding 17-year-old midfielder Ethan Nwaneri is driven by a need for regular minutes. Despite a strong pre-season, Arteta emphasized that the youngster's development is the priority:
Ethan needs to play football. If he stays here, it's because we can guarantee that he can have those minutes. Otherwise, it's just something that is not good for anybody. Mikel Arteta
Arsenal is exploring loan options or a permanent sale with a buy-back clause for Nwaneri. The team has already begun integrating new arrivals like Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, who both started the match to help maintain the club's early lead.