Mikel Arteta has hailed Gabriel Martinelli after the Brazilian left Arsenal in a £60m move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, after the winger failed to mention his manager in an emotional goodbye post on social media.
Martinelli, who played nearly 300 times for the Gunners across seven seasons, was left out of Arsenal’s squad for their Community Shield win against Manchester City and subsequent Premier League victories over Coventry and Aston Villa. Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright said the treatment of Martinelli left him feeling “uncomfortable” and claimed the 25-year-old deserved “more respect”.