Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli has completed his transfer to Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal in a deal reportedly worth £60 million.
The Brazilian forward has signed a four-year contract with the Riyadh-based club and is set to wear the number 7 shirt following his move from the Premier League.
The transfer brings an end to Martinelli’s time at Arsenal, where he established himself as an important member of the squad after joining the club in 2019.
The £60 million deal represents a new record for Arsenal in terms of player sales. Martinelli’s transfer surpasses the previous club record of £40 million, which Arsenal received for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when the midfielder joined Liverpool in 2017.
The agreement also includes a sell-on clause, potentially providing Arsenal with additional financial benefits from the Brazilian’s future career.
The move represents a significant financial return for Arsenal, while Al-Hilal have secured a high-profile attacking player to strengthen their squad.
Before agreeing to join Al-Hilal, Martinelli had reportedly attracted interest from Turkish giants Galatasaray.
The Turkish club was said to have submitted a bid of around £38.9 million for the winger. However, Martinelli was reportedly not interested in moving to Turkey at this stage of his career.
The Brazilian eventually opted for a move to Saudi Arabia, where he will begin a new chapter with Al-Hilal.
Martinelli’s departure is part of a wider restructuring of Arsenal’s attacking options during the summer transfer window.
The winger’s exit follows the departure of fellow left-sided forward Leandro Trossard, who recently completed a move to Besiktas.
The two departures represent significant changes to Arsenal’s attacking options as the club reshapes its squad for the new campaign.
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Martinelli’s transfer has also contributed significantly to Arsenal’s income from player sales, with the club’s total revenue from departures during the summer transfer window reportedly exceeding £120 million.
Martinelli joined Arsenal in 2019 and went on to establish himself as one of the club’s prominent attacking players.
During his spell in North London, the Brazilian made 191 Premier League appearances, scoring 41 goals and providing 24 assists.
His pace, direct running and ability to operate from the left wing made him an important attacking option for Arsenal throughout his time at the club.
However, competition for places gradually increased, particularly as Arsenal strengthened their attacking options.
Although Martinelli was involved in Arsenal’s title-winning campaign last season, his role became less prominent compared with previous seasons.
The winger made 30 Premier League appearances during the championship-winning campaign but started only 11 of those matches. That represented his lowest number of league starts in a single season since the 2020/21 campaign.
The reduced starting opportunities contributed to uncertainty over his long-term future at the Emirates Stadium and eventually preceded his decision to pursue a move away from the club.
Martinelli now begins a new chapter of his career in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Hilal. The four-year agreement gives the 25-year-old Brazilian an opportunity to continue his career in a new league while playing for one of Saudi Arabia’s leading clubs.
For Arsenal, the transfer provides a significant financial return and marks another major change to the club’s attacking department.
Martinelli leaves North London with a substantial record of Premier League appearances and contributions, while Al-Hilal will hope his experience and attacking qualities can help strengthen their ambitions in domestic and international competitions.
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