Arsenal's Future After Trossard: Is Martinelli's Time Up?

Leandro Trossard has gone. Slipped out of north London and into Besiktas colours, taking with him a knack for crucial goals that helped drive Arsenal’s title charge. His exit leaves more than a vacancy in the squad list; it opens up a question that has been circling quietly around the Emirates for months.

What next for the left wing, and what next for Gabriel Martinelli?

The Brazilian, once untouchable in Mikel Arteta’s plans, no longer feels entirely safe. Arsenal are champions, but they are also ruthless. With the 2026 summer window in full swing and the club eyeing another step up in class, even a fan favourite can become a financial asset. A sale of Martinelli is no longer unthinkable if it clears space and funds for a higher ceiling in a decisive area of the pitch.

Because Arsenal are not building for comfort. They are building to retain the Premier League title and to finally crack the Champions League in 2026-27.

Barcola: The winger who hurt Arsenal, now on their radar

If there is a symbol of that European ambition, it might be Bradley Barcola.

The Frenchman helped end Arsenal’s Champions League dream last season, playing his part as Paris Saint-Germain claimed back-to-back titles on the continent’s biggest stage. Lining up alongside Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise, Barcola showed he can live in elite company and still leave his mark. He carried that form into the World Cup, impressing again in French colours.

Yet at PSG, nothing is guaranteed. Not even for a 23-year-old with that kind of upside.

Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia crowd the wide positions, turning every team sheet into a knife-edge selection. Barcola’s contract runs only until 2028, a relatively modest horizon for a player of his potential in a club that never stops refreshing its squad. With the 2026 window open, the sense is clear: a serious offer might at least start a conversation in Paris.

For Arsenal, a club with a rich history of tapping into French talent, that possibility is hard to ignore.

Mikaël Silvestre knows both sides of that story. The former defender, who once wore the Arsenal shirt, believes the fit is obvious. Speaking to GOAL, in association with talkSPORT Bet Online Slots, he did not hesitate when asked if Barcola would be a smart addition to Arteta’s champions.

“That would be an obvious choice for both the player and the club to go for,” Silvestre said. “For Bradley on what he's done with PSG, what he's done with the national team, the time of his career, still young, and what Arsenal is trying to build. Retain the title, try to win the Champions League. It's a green light on my side, 100%.”

That is the appeal in a sentence. A winger entering his prime, already hardened by knockout nights in Europe, stepping into a side that wants to dominate both domestically and abroad.

Premier League scramble for a new wide star

Arsenal are not alone in sensing an opportunity.

Liverpool are staring at the looming reality of life after Mohamed Salah and need a wide forward who can carry both goals and responsibility at Anfield. Manchester United, back in the Champions League, are desperate for sharper weapons in the final third.

From Old Trafford, Dwight Yorke has already nailed his colours to the mast. The former United striker told GOAL he would target Ligue 1 for the solution.

“Bradley Barcola or Desire Doue. I’d go for one of them if I was Michael Carrick. It’s as simple as that,” Yorke said. “They can both play down the left side, they can play down the right side, they can play wherever the attack needs them to.

“If Marcus Rashford doesn’t want to stick around, and who knows where his head is at, go and get Doue or Barcola. Those are the two players you should go get. You want good attacking players, solid players who are going to produce the goods on the field, so go and get one of those players.”

The message is blunt. The market for top-level wide forwards is tight, and the Premier League’s heavyweights are circling the same names. If Arsenal believe Barcola is the man to upgrade their flank, hesitation invites trouble.

Alvarez, Gyökeres and the shape of a new Arsenal attack

While the Barcola noise grows, Arsenal’s recruitment board is not looking at just one piece of the puzzle.

There is also Julian Alvarez.

Fresh from appearing in the 2026 World Cup final alongside Lionel Messi, the Argentina forward has reasserted his status as one of the most influential players in the national team setup. He missed out on a second world title, but his importance to Argentina has only strengthened his reputation across Europe.

At club level, Alvarez has been battling to turn Atletico Madrid into trophy winners, a task that can blunt even the sharpest of strikers. A move away, potentially for around £120 million, would be a major statement from any buyer. For Arsenal, pairing him with Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres would signal a full-scale reshaping of the frontline.

Silvestre sees the appeal.

“Below Messi for Argentina, he's the player that has been the most impactful,” he said. “Playing for Atletico Madrid, it's hard to get things over the line to win trophies. It looks like it's a player that is, I would say, very loyal. I don't know if he's ready to move. But what performances he's shown this season, he would be a great signing.”

That is the dilemma. Alvarez looks fiercely loyal, but his performances scream “elite number nine” for a team that wants to live deep into May on every front. Arsenal, with their title now a target on their backs, fit that profile.

A ruthless summer ahead

Strip away the sentiment, and the picture is clear.

Trossard has gone. Martinelli’s future hangs in the balance. Arsenal are weighing whether to cash in on the present to secure a more explosive future. Barcola offers Champions League pedigree and versatility out wide. Alvarez offers a ruthless edge through the middle, potentially alongside Gyökeres.

Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy have already proved they are willing to make hard calls to keep climbing. This summer asks an even tougher question.

Do they double down on the players who delivered the title, or break the comfort of a winning squad to build one that can dominate Europe as well?

The answer may define not just the next season, but the next era at the Emirates.