gabriel martinelli bayern transfer bid has reached a concrete number: Bayern Munich are reported to be willing to offer £38.9million for Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli. That figure would put Arsenal in range of a possible club-record sale, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's £35m move to Liverpool in 2017 still the mark to beat.
Martinelli and Bayern Munich
Martinelli was already on Bayern Munich's list when Thomas Tuchel was still manager, and he remains a name they are considering as they search for a winger. Vincent Kompany's side want a backup option and are targeting a player to develop in the position rather than a high-profile name.
The 24-year-old made 11 Premier League starts last term and has one year remaining on his Arsenal contract, plus an option for a further year. That contract position gives Arsenal a decision point this summer: keep him through the final stretch of his deal or judge whether the reported fee changes the calculus.
Arsenal's record sale
Arsenal are also preparing to strengthen at left wing during the transfer window, and Mikel Arteta has already set the tone for the club's summer work. After Arsenal's Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, he said, "We will start to make some very important decisions if we want to reach another level, and we're going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it's going to demand to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart."
That leaves Martinelli in the middle of two club plans. Bayern need depth out wide, Arsenal want ambition in the market, and a £38.9million bid would force both clubs to act on those priorities at the same time.
Vincent Kompany's winger search
Bayern's pursuit is sharpened by what happened before. They missed out on Anthony Gordon after his transfer to Barcelona, so the need for another wide option has not gone away. Martinelli fits the profile of a player Bayern can develop, while Arsenal would have to decide whether to accept a bid that sits above their previous record sale.
