Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal on a permanent transfer, bringing his time with the Premier League champions to an end.
Arsenal confirmed Martinelli’s departure after the deal was finalised late on Thursday, although the club did not disclose the transfer fee.
British media reports put the guaranteed value of the deal at around £60 million, potentially making the Brazil international the most expensive player to leave Arsenal.
The 25-year-old has signed a four-year contract with Al-Hilal and has already been unveiled by his new club. Martinelli expressed his excitement after completing the move, declaring himself proud to represent the Saudi club.
Al-Hilal are currently competing near the top of the Saudi Pro League and share the lead with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.
Gabriel will also join England striker Ollie Watkins at the Saudi club after Watkins recently moved from Aston Villa in a deal reportedly worth around £51 million.
If the reported £60 million valuation is confirmed, Martinelli’s transfer would represent the biggest sale in Arsenal’s history.
The previous record was held by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who moved from Arsenal to Liverpool for £35 million in 2017.
Martinelli’s substantial transfer value reflects the reputation he built during his time in north London after arriving at Arsenal from Brazilian football.
Martinelli leaves Arsenal after nearly 300 appearances for the club, scoring 62 goals across competitions. He played an important role in Arsenal’s successes during his spell, including their 2020 FA Cup triumph and 2023 Community Shield victory.
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Last season, Martinelli made 53 appearances in all competitions and scored 11 goals as Arsenal secured their first top-flight title since 2004.
Despite his contribution to the club’s recent success, his position within Mikel Arteta’s plans became less certain at the beginning of the new campaign.
Martinelli was left out of Arsenal’s first two matchday squads of the season, with Arteta making it clear that the forward could find regular playing time difficult to secure if he remained at the Emirates Stadium.
The situation prompted criticism from former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, who questioned the way Martinelli was being handled.
Wright argued that even if Arsenal wanted to sell the Brazilian, the club should manage his departure in a way that also considered the player’s interests.
Martinelli’s departure comes shortly after Arsenal completed the sale of fellow left-sided forward Leandro Trossard to Besiktas.
The club has brought in Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, but the exits of Martinelli and Trossard have raised questions about Arsenal’s depth on the left side of their attack.
The changes leave Arteta with fewer established options in that position as Arsenal begin their campaign as defending Premier League champions.
Although the European transfer window closed on Tuesday, that deadline does not prevent clubs from completing certain outgoing transfers.
The rules allow European clubs to sell players after the domestic window closes, depending on the regulations governing the buying club’s transfer window.
That provision enabled Arsenal and Al-Hilal to complete Martinelli’s move after the European deadline.
For Martinelli, the transfer marks a major new chapter in his career, while Arsenal now move forward without one of the players who played a significant role in their recent revival.
Al Jazeera
