Arsenal’s Left Flank Under Review: The Future of Martinelli and Barcola

Leandro Trossard has gone. Slipped quietly out of north London and into Besiktas colours, taking with him a bundle of vital goals and a useful layer of depth from Mikel Arteta’s bench.

His exit leaves more than an empty seat in the dressing room. It sharpens the glare on Gabriel Martinelli and his uncertain place in Arsenal’s next evolution.

Arsenal’s left flank under review

Martinelli, once the explosive symbol of Arteta’s rebuild, suddenly feels like a question rather than an answer. Arsenal are weighing up whether to cash in on the Brazil international, opening space on the wage bill and in the squad for a marquee attacking signing.

The logic is ruthless but clear. If Arsenal want to keep stretching Manchester City at home and finally crack Europe in 2026-27, the wide areas have to be as devastating as their midfield. Upgrades are being hunted, and the left side is firmly under the microscope.

One name keeps circling above the Emirates.

Bradley Barcola.

The French winger has already hurt Arsenal once. He helped Paris Saint-Germain shatter their Champions League hopes in 2025-26, part of a side that claimed back-to-back European crowns. Before that, he had caught the eye on the biggest stage of all, impressing for France at the World Cup alongside Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise.

This is not a prospect. This is a player hardened by elite nights.

A star in Paris, but not untouchable

For all his pedigree, Barcola is not guaranteed a starting berth at PSG. The competition is fierce: Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – a conveyor belt of talent battling for the same spaces on the pitch.

He is 23, entering the prime years, and under contract at Parc des Princes until 2028. On paper, that looks secure. In reality, the 2026 summer window is open, and big offers always test resolve in Paris.

PSG may listen. Arsenal are being told they should ask the question.

The club’s history with French talent is rich: from Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira through to William Saliba. Barcola would fit neatly into that lineage of high-ceiling imports from across the Channel.

Mikael Silvestre, who knows both Arsenal and the French game intimately, sees the move as almost self-evident. Speaking to GOAL in association with talkSPORT Bet Online Slots, the former defender did not hesitate when asked if Barcola would be a smart addition to Arteta’s title-winning squad.

“That would be an obvious choice for both the player and the club to go for,” he 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%.”

The message is blunt: this is the moment, for both sides.

Premier League tug-of-war

Arsenal, though, are not alone at the table.

Barcola’s versatility and output have alerted Liverpool, who are quietly preparing for life after Mohamed Salah at Anfield. Manchester United, heading back into the Champions League and short on reliable firepower, are also hovering.

From Old Trafford, the admiration is open. Former United striker Dwight Yorke recently told GOAL that he would raid PSG for one of two names if he were in charge.

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

He pushed the point further, linking their arrival to Marcus Rashford’s uncertain future.

“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.”

Arsenal, then, face a familiar dilemma: act decisively or risk watching a prime target land at a domestic rival.

Alvarez, Gyökeres and the hunt for a killer edge

Barcola is not the only name on the north London shortlist.

Arsenal are also considering a major push for Argentina forward Julián Álvarez, now at Atletico Madrid after his Manchester City spell and fresh from playing in the 2026 World Cup final alongside Lionel Messi. He missed out on a second world title, but his status in the national team is unquestioned.

Silvestre believes Álvarez would be a perfect fit alongside Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres at the Emirates, even if prising him from Atletico could cost around £120 million.

“Below Messi for Argentina, he's the player that has been the most impactful,” Silvestre 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 scale Arsenal are working at now: title defence at home, a genuine tilt at the Champions League, and a frontline built to terrorise Europe’s best.

Trossard has gone. Martinelli’s future hangs in the balance. Between Barcola’s flair and Álvarez’s relentlessness, Arsenal’s next move in this window will say everything about how serious they are about ruling not just England, but the continent.