Roma's Search for a Left-Sided Game-Changer: Martinelli or Mora?

Roma’s hunt for a left-sided game-changer has taken a sharp turn towards north London.

Gian Piero Gasperini has been clear since day one: his Roma must have a right-footed attacker starting on the left, someone who can sprint, press, and knife inside with purpose. It’s a key piece in his attacking puzzle, and right now it’s missing.

For weeks, the Giallorossi have circled big names. Mason Greenwood. Antonio Nusa. Alejandro Garnacho. Different profiles, same idea – a high-impact wide forward cutting in from the left. Talks, contacts, exploratory calls: all have happened. None have produced an agreement.

So Roma have shifted their gaze to The Emirates.

Martinelli enters the frame

According to Corriere dello Sport, sporting director Tony D’Amico has identified Gabriel Martinelli as the most compelling alternative on the market. On paper, he fits Gasperini’s blueprint almost perfectly: 25 years old, Brazilian international, electric from the left, right-footed, and ruthless when he finds the angle inside.

On the ground, though, his situation at Arsenal is anything but settled.

Martinelli is heading into the final 12 months of his contract with the Gunners, with no public sign of a renewal being close. That alone would usually open the door for opportunistic clubs. Then came another twist: Christos Tzolis walked through the door in London.

The Greek winger’s arrival has complicated Martinelli’s route back into Mikel Arteta’s starting XI. With more competition on the flanks, the Brazilian suddenly looks less central to Arsenal’s plans and more like a valuable asset who could be cashed in on at the right price.

D’Amico has sensed an opening and is testing how wide that door can be pushed.

The price of an idea

For Gasperini, Martinelli is not just a name. He is a tactical solution. A wide forward who can attack the half-space, finish moves, and maintain the high-intensity pressing game the coach demands.

For Roma’s accountants, he is a problem.

Corriere dello Sport reports that Arsenal have no intention of offering a discount simply because of the contract situation. The London club are thought to want in the region of €40–45 million to even consider a sale. That figure immediately stretches Roma’s room for manoeuvre.

Then come the wages. Martinelli’s personal terms would need to be aligned with Roma’s salary structure, which is already under pressure. Any deal would require not just a major transfer outlay but also a carefully calibrated contract to avoid destabilising the dressing room hierarchy.

So while the idea excites the fanbase, the numbers bite back.

Plan B: a rising talent from Portugal

Roma know they cannot afford to stand still while one complex negotiation drags on. Gasperini wants that left-sided attacker, and he wants him in time to shape the team’s patterns before the season settles into its rhythm.

That is where Rodrigo Mora comes in.

The Porto prospect has emerged as one of the main alternatives on the table. Reports over the weekend suggested Roma are prepared to move decisively for the youngster, exploring the possibility of buying him outright from the Portuguese club.

Mora is younger, likely cheaper, and still fits the key elements of the technical profile Gasperini has outlined. Less proven than Martinelli, certainly, but also less financially demanding. For a club constantly balancing ambition with sustainability, he represents a different kind of bet.

Galatasaray raise the stakes

Roma are not alone at the table with Arsenal.

Interest in Martinelli has also surfaced from Turkey, with Galatasaray pushing hard. Reports indicate the reigning Turkish champions have already put forward a bid of around £34 million for the Brazilian, a statement of intent that underlines how highly he is rated across Europe despite a recent dip in goals.

That offer sets a benchmark. It tells Arsenal there is serious money on the line. It tells Roma that any move for Martinelli will not be a quiet, under-the-radar opportunity, but a full-scale auction where every million counts.

So the question lingers over Trigoria: do Roma stretch their finances for a ready-made star in Martinelli, or pivot fully towards a developing talent like Mora and trust Gasperini to mould him into the wide spearhead his system demands?