Arsenal supporters have been left emotional after footage showed Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri standing apart from their teammates during the Community Shield celebrations.
The Gunners secured the 2026 Community Shield with an impressive 3–0 victory over Manchester City at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. Riccardo Calafiori opened the scoring inside the first minute before Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s advantage with a header. Martin Ødegaard then added a third shortly after the interval to complete a convincing win.
While Arsenal’s players and staff celebrated with the trophy after the final whistle, Martinelli and Nwaneri were noticeably absent from the main celebrations.
Neither player was involved in the match after being left out of the squad, and both have been linked with possible departures from the club this summer. Martinelli is reportedly among the players Arsenal could look to move on, while Nwaneri has also been mentioned in transfer speculation.
The pair watched their teammates celebrate from the sidelines before eventually joining in after Gabriel Magalhães called them over.
The footage quickly caught the attention of Arsenal fans, with many interpreting their actions as another indication that their futures at the Emirates could be uncertain.
One supporter described the moment as “very sad,” while another called it “heartbreaking.” Others said the scene was difficult to watch and highlighted the business side of modern football.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has also called for a change to Premier League squad rules. The Arsenal boss believes clubs should be allowed to name more substitutes so that more players can be involved and have the opportunity to contribute.
Arsenal will now turn their attention to defending their Premier League title, beginning their campaign against newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates on Friday.
