By OkayGoal 
Emmanuel Petit has urged Arsenal to sell Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus this summer, with the former Gunners midfielder outlining the specific attacking weaknesses that were exposed during a season that ended in heartbreak as Eberechi Eze and Gabriel both missed penalties in the Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on Sunday.
Arsenal won the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years this season, a genuine and historic achievement that should not be diminished. But the manner of losing the Champions League final on penalties, combined with the attacking limitations that have been evident throughout the campaign, means Mikel Arteta now faces a significant summer of recruitment. The manager has called on the board to be “very ambitious” and has identified upgrades needed at left wing, striker, right-back and in midfield competition as areas requiring attention, according to the Daily Mail.
Petit, speaking on talkSPORT’s White and Jordan show, was direct: “I think it’s easy to see what Arsenal are missing; for me, it’s wingers. You need to have strong and powerful wingers with technical skills who can make a difference out wide.”
Emmanuel Petit’s verdict on Martinelli, Madueke and Gabriel Jesus
Martinelli comes in for similar treatment. The Brazilian has made the left wing his own at times but has never fully established himself as first choice, with both he and Leandro Trossard sharing the position across the season. Trossard, notably, is the one Petit says he would keep: “Trossard, I would keep him.” Martinelli made 31 Premier League appearances and scored six goals, numbers that reflect the inconsistency Petit is referencing rather than a player who has truly nailed down the position.
Gabriel Jesus presents the clearest case of the three. The former Manchester City striker has made just 84 Premier League appearances across four years at the club, just over half of the possible 152, as injuries have severely limited his involvement. He scored three league goals this season. Petit’s verdict was measured: “For me, the likes of Martinelli and Jesus… Gyokeres, I don’t know because he has just come into the club.”
Viktor Gyokeres under scrutiny after Arsenal’s Champions League final exit
In Europe, Gyokeres scored four goals in the Champions League group stages before managing just a single goal — a penalty against Atletico Madrid — in the knockout rounds. He was dropped for the final in Budapest in favour of Kai Havertz. For a striker who cost £63.5 million and was signed to lead Arsenal’s attack in European competition, those numbers represent a significant underperformance relative to expectations.
Arsenal’s potential summer targets as Petit’s rebuild begins
Kroupi’s tally includes goals against Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United, making him the first teenager to score against all three clubs finishing in the top three in a single season. That kind of output against elite opposition is precisely what Petit is calling for from Arsenal’s attacking players, and what the current group has consistently failed to deliver on a regular basis.
The summer ahead will define whether this Arsenal side sustains the momentum of their Premier League title or becomes another near-miss story. Arteta has been clear about his ambitions. Petit has been equally clear about where the problems lie. Getting both the sales and the additions right will be the central challenge of the transfer window for the Gunners.
