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Less than 48 hours after concluding the January transfer window without making a single signing, Arsenal are now sweating over Gabriel Martinelli's hamstring.
Mikel Arteta's options are slim enough as it is, and the club played with fire by failing to make a winter addition despite the injuries already sustained by Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian winger was forced off 37 minutes into Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle which saw the Gunners exit the competition one step away from a Wembley final. Martinelli trudged off under his own power and was replaced by Ethan Nwaneri.
Arsenal sweating over Gabriel Martinelli hamstring scan
🚨⚠️ Mikel Arteta: “Gabriel Martinelli felt something, it was his hamstring and he wasn't comfortable to continue”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 6, 2025
“So we will have to have an MRI scan tomorrow to see the extent of the injury”. pic.twitter.com/RubWMJHXsQ
Speaking after the 2-0 defeat at St. James' Park, Arteta confirmed the next steps for Martinelli (via Fabrizio Romano): “Gabriel Martinelli felt something, it was his hamstring and he wasn't comfortable to continue
“So we will have to have an MRI scan tomorrow to see the extent of the injury."
The severity of the injury is yet to be disclosed and we can only hope Martinelli brought himself off as a precaution on Wednesday. The Brazilian international was spotted heading to Dubai with the rest of the squad for a mid-season warm-weather training camp on Thursday, suggesting the setback isn't major.
Even if Martinelli is okay and ready to go for Leicester in two Saturdays time, Wednesday's scare highlighted the precariousness of Arsenal's situation in attacking areas. With Saka out until March and Jesus perhaps not playing again in 2025, Arteta would either be relying on a natural attacking midfielder (Nwaneri) or a declining veteran who hasn't garnered his trust (Raheem Sterling) to mitigate Martinelli's absence.
Martinelli has been poor this season and I’m not making excuses for him but we use him in a role that doesn’t suit his profile.
— Ben Mattinson (@Ben_Mattinson_) February 6, 2025
He constantly wants the ball into space high up but we play with a creative LW who’ll receive the ball to feet in deep areas.
Martinelli’s instincts,… https://t.co/TVX0hP2Ufn pic.twitter.com/SVQa2Nd47y
Assuming the Brazilian is okay, he will benefit from the upcoming reset in the Middle East following a hectic January. Arsenal have played 11 times in 2025, with Martinelli starting seven of these games. He's been counted upon to fill the void with Saka out, but has generally looked uncomfortable down the right flank. It's a role that doesn't suit him, but he had also struggled to enjoy a resurgence on his preferred wing after an indifferent 2023/24. Martinelli's recorded 11 goal contributions in 35 games across all competitions.
Some thought the arrivals of Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino would unlock the left-hand side and thus Martinelli, but after fleeting success in the autumn, Martinelli has continued to struggle to rediscover the highs of 2022/23.
Still, Arsenal merely need bodies in attacking areas at this stage.