Chelsea did hold an interest in Gabriel Martinelli, but the player wants to extend his contract with Arsenal, according to a report.

Christian Falk reports that the rumours are true that Gabriel Martinelli was a recent target for Chelsea. However, Falk adds that the player wants to extend his contract at Arsenal, so the move to Stamford Bridge is seemingly off the table.

UOL Esporte’s Bruno Andrade claims Arsenal want to renew Martinelli’s contract until 2028, and there is optimism on both sides of the negotiation. Fabrizio Romano also believes Martinelli could extend his contract further.

The Daily Mail recently claimed Arsenal would have to increase Martinelli’s wages to £200,000 a week to secure a deal, which could cause issues. But all reports suggest the player is keen to stay, so there’s no reason a compromise can’t be reached.

Speaking on Sunday, Martinelli insisted in his post-game interview that he wants to stay and is in talks with the club.

“Of course, I want to stay,” Martinelli said. “We are talking. Let’s see what is going to happen.

“But I want to stay, of course. I think it’s my best season here at Arsenal. I’m so happy for this moment.”

As it stands, Martinelli’s deal will expire in 2024. But Goal have confirmed previous reports from The Times and the Evening Standard that the Brazilian’s contract has a two-year option to extend to 2026.

That obviously puts Arsenal in a very strong position. If they want to hold onto Martinelli for the next four years, they can, regardless of the ongoing negotiations.