Arsenal are closing in on a club-record sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Al-Hilal, and Bacary Sagna does not think it should worry anyone at the Emirates. The former Arsenal and Manchester City defender, speaking exclusively to The Action Network, believes the squad Mikel Arteta has built can absorb the loss without missing a beat. Sagna also weighed in on the moves shaping up around Arsenal's rivals, from Manchester City's midfield spending spree to Liverpool’s interest in Bradley Barcola, before giving his verdict on Bruno Fernandes' PFA award win over Arsenal's own Declan Rice.
Martinelli's Al-Hilal links
Arsenal have reportedly agreed a fee worth around $67 million with Al-Hilal for Gabriel Martinelli, a deal that would smash the club's transfer record and end an eight-year spell in north London. Sagna is not ready to write off the winger's Arsenal legacy just because some fans and critics feel his game stalled.
"Martinelli has been decisive for the club. People say he hasn't improved, but he's been decisive in some of the most important games. Of course people would like to see him doing stepovers and being skillful but he remains a threat for any club, for any team, because he's fast and he likes to use the space. And he was already a complete player at 18. This is why he was playing so, so, so young. This is why Arsenal bought him. I don't know why if a player is ready at 18 people expect him to be able to do better."
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Sagna widens the point to other academy products who peaked early, and warns that Myles Lewis-Skelly could face the exact same trap Martinelli did.
"This is also the danger when you are 18 and you already have abilities to play. People will always think, oh, there's room for him to improve, but if he's already a complete player at 18 years old, which is the case, it was the case for Saka, it was the case for Martinelli, it was the case for other players in different leagues, then yes, of course, you're not going to show so much improvement because they were ready at an early age, and that's probably going to be the case with Myles Lewis-Skelly."
"He might play the same type of football because he's already able to play and already at the top level, so the margin of where he's standing today and where he can be will be very small.
This is what people will criticize, but it's not fair for the players because he had a lot of press at 18, but he was ready."
Whatever the debate about his ceiling, Sagna is clear about how he wants Martinelli remembered.
"So yes, it's going to be sad to see Martinelli leaving because he's been a fantastic professional for Arsenal. He's been doing well, and I think Arsenal was blessed enough to be able to be rewarded for taking risks with him when he was young."
No weaknesses to find in Arsenal’s squad
Even with a potential Martinelli exit on the horizon, Sagna refuses to name a single soft spot in Mikel Arteta's squad.
"I don't see any weaknesses. I don't see any because in each position you have quality players, and you have players that are versatile and can also play different positions. Myles Lewis-Skelly for example can play as a left back, he can play in the middle and play brilliantly in the middle. Calafiori can play as a left back, going forward, doing well, scoring goals but can also play as a center back. You have Madueke, who is a different style to Saka. You have Eze and he's a different style to Odegaard. So Mikel has a choice to be able to prepare each game differently and has top quality players in this position, so I don't see any weaknesses."
Sagna’s take on Arsenal’s squad rings true when it comes to EPL futures. Arsenal are currently priced at -118 in the title odds with Draftkings, with Manchester City behind them at +420.
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If Martinelli's exit does go through, Sagna already sees a succession plan mapped out on the left.
"If Martinelli leaves, I think Arsenal have Eze who played on the left wing for Crystal Palace and did well. Arsenal have a bunch of players that are able to deliver regardless of where they're playing. Madueke could easily play on the left and that will allow him to cross the ball early and be naturally on his left foot also. I think it's going to be an interesting season going forward because Arsenal have options."
While names like Iliman Ndiaye and Eli Junior Kroupi have been linked with Arsenal, Sagna thinks signing them would overload the squad.
“At the moment, I don’t think they need Iliman Ndiaye or Junior Kroupi. They have enough players. You don't want to overload the team. Also, you need to be smart and not just buy a player and have him sitting on the bench.”
“I think Tzolis is young enough to be able to play game after game. He's young. At 24 he will be able to compete all season and he's smart.
He doesn't always get in between the lines, he doesn't get kicked a lot. He's a smart player and I think he's able to play the whole season the same way Saka did and still deliver.”
Anderson and Bouaddi's step up
Meanwhile, Manchester City have already completed moves for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille this summer, filling the void left by Rodri's departure to Barcelona. Sagna, who made a similar jump himself from Arsenal to City, does not think either signing will find the transition easy.
"Anderson and Bouaddi will need to adapt. They will surely need to adapt because playing for Man City, in some respects, is bigger than all their achievements till now."
"You play and start games differently, with a lot more pressure. Tactically it's a team that is probably more demanding than your old club."
"They were probably the best players at their old team and now they are players in a higher quality team, which is different. They might not feel the responsibility and the weight they had with their previous team. So, they will be treated equally with everyone else and it will depend on how they will cope with it also."
Sagna speaks from experience here. He made the exact same move from Arsenal to Manchester City back in 2014, and he remembers exactly how disorienting it was.
"I lived it, because I had responsibilities at Arsenal and when I got to City, I was one in the middle of others. And it's never easy to deal with because you're regarded differently, you don't have any kind of special treatment. The love people show you is different. Respect, yes."
The hardest adjustment, he says, is not being guaranteed a starting spot anymore.
"Now everyone is at the same level, so you need to make your own space and sometimes also being on the bench for tactical reasons can be strange for them to deal with, because they're used to starting every single game."
"So you have a lot of things to take into consideration. They will have to understand the vibe and the ecosystem at City and adapt. Will they have time to adapt? I don't think so because the league has already started."
"They are top players but playing for City or other big clubs is different."
Enzo Fernandez’s different role at Man City
Manchester City's pursuit of Enzo Fernandez is still dominating the gossip columns, with Chelsea demanding a fee close to $163 million.
The former French international has already sized up how the Argentine's role can change at the Etihad.
"Enzo is probably regarded as Chelsea's most important player. If he joins City, he won't be the most important City player. Erling Haaland is the most important City player. That's the hierarchy."
"So to make your own space it takes time. Enzo at Chelsea is one of the most important players, regarding the national team, captaincy and everything. The weight is on him. He's managing others. But now you're coming to a team where you don't have to manage others.
Everyone is focused on themselves."
"Whenever people make a run at City, you have to give the ball away. Maybe at Chelsea you can afford to dribble a bit more and no one is going to say anything to you. But when you play for bigger clubs, it is different. You have to adapt to others also and it is not only about you and your decision making."
"This is probably where they have to find a balance. But, all of them are top players, so I hope they can perform for Man City."
Barcola's Liverpool timing
Elsewhere, Bradley Barcola has been floated as a target for Liverpool this summer with latest reports from David Ornstein pointing to an imminent move to the red half of Merseyside. Sagna, however, is not convinced the timing works given where Liverpool currently stands.
"Well Liverpool didn't have the best season last year, for different reasons of course. For him, to join the team now, I don't think it would be a good career choice, especially after winning so much with Paris."
"Liverpool is one of the most important and respected English clubs. To play for them is something special. But the team seems to be a bit sick and recovering from the last season they had."
"They will get back to their best but I'm not sure a move right now is the best one for Barcola."
Why Bruno Fernandes won PFA Players’ Player of the Year
Bruno Fernandes was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year for 2025-26 after a record-breaking 21 assists, edging out Arsenal's own Declan Rice. Sagna thinks the voters got it right, even if he understands why plenty of Arsenal fans feel differently.
"I think it's deserved for Bruno Fernandes. I think he had a good season. He was lifting United by himself. The award is not only about winning, it's about how important you are for your team and the impact you can have on your team."
Sagna does not dismiss Rice's case either. He simply thinks the supporting cast around him worked against him in the voting.
"Yes of course, Declan Rice deserves it as much as him and you have to make a choice. I think what played against Rice was the players around him were of better quality and he was helped by them. Even if you had a great season, people would contest and say that you had top players around you who make your life easy. Unlike Bruno Fernandes where the form of the team wasn't necessarily the best but he still managed to keep a high level and deliver. This is probably why he won, because it made the difference at the end of the day."
