Key Points
- Arsenal midfielder turned interim manager Freddie Ljungberg has openly lambasted a part of the fanbase that seems to have forgotten the services of Gabriel Martinelli after he left.
- Gabriel Martinelli bid farewell to the Emirates Stadium after being a member of the club for seven years over the summer transfer window by moving to Saudi Arabia.
- Ljungberg stated he was shocked how much some of the fans actually wanted Martinelli to be sold, considering his dedication, youthfulness, and statistics.
- In addition to Martinelli, Leandro Trossard left the club and the team has signed Christos Tsolis from Club Brugge for a fee of £34 million.
- Comparing Martinelli and Tsolis’ profiles, Ljungberg said Martinelli ran with sheer pace and sometimes unpredictable nature while his replacement is tactically sounder.
(North London News) September 10, 2026 –Gabriel Martinelli’s seven-year association with Arsenal came to a definitive close during the summer transfer window when the forward packed his bags for a lucrative switch to Saudi Arabia. While the club moved swiftly to reshape their attacking options, the decision to part ways with the popular South American has continued to reverberate through the fanbase. Among the most vocal observers is former club legend Freddie Ljungberg, who has taken direct aim at supporters for their treatment of the player both leading up to and following his exit.
As reported by Rich Jones of The Mirror, Freddie Ljungberg has expressed profound bewilderment at how quickly certain sections of the Arsenal faithful turned on the winger, who first arrived in North London back in 2019 under Unai Emery as an unheralded teenager from Ituano. Over subsequent seasons, Martinelli evolved from an unknown quantity into a fundamental pillar of an Arsenal side that consistently challenged domestic and European honors. Yet, despite playing a part in the club’s recent successes—including securing major silverware last term where he contributed crucially despite spending spells on the bench—his departure was met with surprising indifference or relief by vocal online elements.
Discussing the transfer dynamics on Viaplay, Ljungberg stated:
“A Brazilian player who works as hard as he does, at that age and with those statistics, can’t come cheap. He was sold for quite a hefty sum, so I was a bit surprised to see how many people wanted him gone.”
The former Swedish midfielder, who famously handed Martinelli his historic first Premier League start back in December 2019 during his brief caretaker stint, added:
“Fans were calling for his departure. I thought, ‘This is a good player, and you just want rid of him.’ But it seems that’s exactly what they wanted. The club sold him and got a decent price. Sometimes fans might forget how much he did for the club and how many important goals he scored over the years.”
How did Arsenal handle the transition following Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard’s departures?
The departure of Martinelli was compounded by further restructuring in the final third, which also saw Leandro Trossard complete a transfer to Turkish side Besiktas. With two established wide options departing the Emirates Stadium, manager Mikel Arteta and the club’s recruitment hierarchy sanctioned a £34 million move for Greek international Christos Tsolis, who arrived from Belgian outfit Club Brugge.
Evaluating the tactical shift prompted by these moves, Ljungberg offered a nuanced assessment of the differences between the outgoing Brazilian and the incoming summer addition. As detailed through his analysis, Martinelli’s explosive style of play occasionally produced erratic moments dictated by the frantic velocity of English football.
Ljungberg explained:
“When it comes to Martinelli, he sometimes made unconventional decisions. People were frustrated when he failed to control the ball properly or did something else due to the speed of the game. Perhaps defensively, he didn’t always do precisely what was required of him.”
In contrast, the former Arsenal star suggested that the newly acquired Greek winger represents a profile more attuned to rigid positional instructions. Speaking on Tsolis, Ljungberg noted:
“Tsolis appears to be a bit more… I don’t want to say ‘manageable,’ but perhaps more tactically astute. He does the necessary work and occupies the right positions.”
Background of the particular development
The backdrop to Gabriel Martinelli’s departure involves a fascinating trajectory of squad evolution under Mikel Arteta. Having been unearthed during the closing stages of the Unai Emery era, Martinelli quickly established himself as a fan favorite due to his tireless work rate, explosive acceleration, and knack for scoring pivotal goals against elite opposition. Over seven years, he transitioned from a raw, low-cost prospect into a seasoned Premier League campaigner. However, modern football’s financial landscape and tactical demands frequently necessitate difficult decisions. As Arsenal transitioned toward a style emphasizing absolute control and structural discipline under Arteta, squad places became hyper-competitive. Martinelli’s fluctuating minutes during the latter phases of the previous campaign, combined with substantial external financial interest from Saudi Arabia, created a scenario where a high-value sale became commercially viable for the North London club, ultimately paving the way for a distinct generational refresh in the wide attacking areas.
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how this development can affect the club and supporters
This high-profile squad adjustment carries significant long-term implications for Mikel Arteta’s team and the wider Arsenal community. By replacing a high-variance, chaotic runner like Martinelli with a tactically methodical operator like Christos Tsolis, Arsenal are signalling a definitive preference for structural predictability over individual flair. While this evolution may yield greater defensive security and positional stability during high-stakes domestic and European fixtures, it risks alienating supporters who cherish expressive, high-octane individual brilliance. If Tsolis and the restructured forward line fail to replicate the crucial goals and intense defensive pressing that Martinelli delivered across his seven-year tenure, scrutiny regarding Arteta’s transfer decisions will inevitably intensify. Conversely, should the tactical adjustments secure long-sought silverware, the contentious summer overhaul will be vindicated as a necessary step in Arsenal’s relentless pursuit of elite-level dominance.
