For a club as big as Arsenal, their transfer sales record is surprisingly poor.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s £35 million move to Liverpool in 2017 still stands as the biggest fee the Gunners have ever received for a player.
That statistic has become increasingly difficult to explain as transfer fees continue to explode across Europe and Arsenal establish themselves as one of the biggest clubs in world football.
Now, however, the Gunners could finally break that unwanted record, with Gabriel Martinelli attracting interest from Bayern Munich.
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Arsenal have set a record-breaking price tag for Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli has always been one of the most highly-rated players at Arsenal.
Ever since bursting onto the scene as a teenager, the Brazilian has had supporters dreaming about just how good he could become.
On his day, he is still one of the most devastating attackers in the Premier League. That is why Bayern Munich’s interest comes as no surprise.
The German champions have admired Martinelli for a while and continue to keep tabs on his situation at the Emirates Stadium.
According to Christian Falk, the winger remains on Bayern’s radar, although there are questions over whether the move would make sense for all parties because of the game time on offer.
On his website, Falk suggested that a fee of around €45 million (£38.9 million) could be enough to get a deal done.
He said: “€45 million could be the price tag; that would be okay.”
If Arsenal accepted that amount, Martinelli would become the most expensive player ever sold by the club.
That says more about Arsenal’s struggles in the transfer market than it does about Martinelli’s value.
Breaking the club’s sales record should feel like a huge achievement. Instead, many supporters will look at that figure and wonder how a Premier League champion in his prime can possibly be worth so little.
Discuss: What is the ideal sale price for Gabriel Martinelli?
Arsenal should demand over £50 million for Gabriel Martinelli
£38.9 million for Martinelli feels far too low.
He is still only 24 years old, can play across the front line and possesses every attribute top clubs look for in an attacking player.
There is a reason Jurgen Klopp once described him as the talent of the century.
Martinelli has not reached those heights yet, but the potential is still there. In the right system, he could easily develop into one of the most feared forwards in Europe.
Add in the fact that he has just helped Arsenal win the Premier League title, and it becomes even harder to justify a fee below £40 million.
If Bayern Munich or anyone else want Martinelli, Arsenal should be demanding well over £50 million. This is exactly the sort of situation where Andrea Berta needs to prove that Arsenal are no longer willing to undersell their assets.
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