Arsenal sell Gabriel Martinelli to Al-Hilal in record $81 million transfer

Arsenal have completed the sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Al-Hilal for $81 million, around €70 million, in what becomes the most expensive transfer in the history of the north London club. The 25-year-old Brazilian winger leaves the Emirates Stadium after six seasons and signs a contract with the Saudi outfit that runs until 2030. The move marks a sharp turn in the career of a player who was once central to a Premier League title challenge.

• Al-Hilal pay $81 million in guaranteed money, a record sale fee for Arsenal.
• Martinelli will earn more than €20 million per season, plus bonuses.
• His contract includes a clause that makes any return to Europe before 2030 more expensive.
• Arsenal more than double their previous record, the £35 million paid for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
• The London club did not bring in a marquee forward after his departure.

Arsenal complete the biggest sale in their history with Martinelli

The agreement between the two clubs is significant: $81 million in guaranteed money, with a portion of any future transfer due back to Arsenal. The deal shatters the club's previous record sale, the £35 million departure of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool nine years ago.

The profit margin is remarkable for the Gunners. In 2019 they paid just £6 million to pluck Martinelli from the Brazilian fourth tier, a move driven by then recruitment chief Francis Cagigao. They now recover close to ten times that investment, making this the third-highest fee ever paid by a Saudi club, behind only Jhon Duran's move to Al-Nassr and Neymar's to Al-Hilal.

Why Martinelli accepted leaving Arsenal this summer

The Brazilian did not start the summer planning to leave. His initial desire was to stay and fight for his place, to the point of rejecting earlier interest from Galatasaray. His stance changed after conversations with Mikel Arteta made clear that his limited role at the start of the season was likely to continue.

Missing out on the squad for the Community Shield and the opening Premier League match was the clearest signal. Those talks took place before club legend Ian Wright publicly criticised how Arsenal were handling the winger's situation. After listening to his manager, Martinelli accepted that he had to move on.

Al-Hilal win the race with no firm European competition

Until this summer, Martinelli's position had been clear: he would only leave Arsenal for a club that offered a similar chance to compete at the top of the European game. Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid asked about him in 2025, and Paris Saint-Germain a year later, but all of them ended up prioritising other targets.

Twelve months earlier, intermediaries had offered his services to Saudi clubs, including Al-Nassr, and the player quickly dismissed that route. This time no European side presented a firm offer, and Riyadh became the best available destination. The Al-Hilal project, strengthened by new ownership and technical director Simon Francis, bet heavily on a Brazilian international with Premier League experience.

Before turning to Martinelli, the Saudi club explored a move for Chelsea's Pedro Neto, but the $135 million asking price made the Brazilian a far more appealing option. They had also dreamed of signing Vinicius Junior if he became a free agent in 2027, a path that closed with his contract extension at Real Madrid.

What Arsenal risk after selling Martinelli without a replacement

Arsenal knew what they wanted: an attacker who could feasibly win a Champions League final. Club sources believe they came very close to Vinicius, and that without the late contract renewal at Real Madrid the Brazilian would have been an Arsenal player. Julian Alvarez, for his part, never gave up on his dream of playing for Barcelona.

Morgan Rogers and Bradley Barcola ended up elsewhere for fees around $150 million, more than Arsenal were prepared to pay. Cheaper options were dismissed over fears they might prove impossible to sell on. Malick Fofana was offered to the club late in the window, but sceptics saw a possible repeat of Fabio Vieira, bought for $46 million in 2022 and sold for just $10.4 million plus a sell-on clause on deadline day.

Arteta's options on the left flank

Without Martinelli, the left-wing spot now has several candidates. Christos Tzolis is the man in possession after a sparkling debut against Coventry City. Eberechi Eze, who had played around 20 percent of his Premier League minutes on that side, could see that number rise if Martin Odegaard establishes himself as the starting attacking midfielder. Noni Madueke arrived from Chelsea with a view to featuring on both flanks.

Transfer grades for Martinelli's move to Al-Hilal

Arsenal: B

A club record sale at nearly ten times what they paid for the player is never a bad outcome. However, there were moments in Martinelli's time in north London when he could have gone for far more than the fee they eventually received.

Al-Hilal: B+

At a sizeable cost in both fee and wages, Al-Hilal secure a prime-age star name, a profile that has not always been easy to sign even in the era of Pro League mega-spending.

Gabriel Martinelli: C

An annual salary of $23 million is nothing to dismiss, but the fact that only the Saudi giants pushed the boat out for him is a worrying sign for a career in need of some revival.

Frequently asked questions about the Martinelli transfer