Gabriel Martinelli completes £60m move from Arsenal to Al-Hilal
Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli has ended a seven-year spell at Arsenal to sign for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. The deal is worth a guaranteed £60 million and includes a sell-on clause. Martinelli leaves the Emirates after being told by Mikel Arteta that he was not part of this season's plans.
ByNatilla4 min read
Gabriel Martinelli is officially an Al-Hilal player. The Brazilian forward brings an end to seven years at Arsenal and moves to the Saudi Pro League side in a deal worth a guaranteed £60 million, with a sell-on clause included. The transfer comes after Mikel Arteta made it clear the winger was not in his plans for the new season.
- Al-Hilal pay £60 million guaranteed for the 25-year-old winger.
- Martinelli signs a long-term contract with the Saudi club.
- He departs after 53 appearances and 11 goals last season, when Arsenal won the league title.
- Arteta had told him he would struggle for game time if he stayed.
- He will play alongside Ollie Watkins and Crysencio Summerville.
A £60m transfer that ends seven years at Arsenal
The operation is set at £60 million guaranteed and includes a sell-on percentage for Arsenal on any future transfer. Martinelli, 25, signs a long-term deal with an Al-Hilal side currently joint-top of the Saudi Pro League alongside Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr.
The Brazil international joined Arsenal from Brazilian club Ituano in 2019, aged 18, and had twelve months remaining on his contract at the Emirates Stadium. During his time in London he established himself as a key attacking option under Arteta, but his role in the squad has since changed.
Why Martinelli is leaving Arsenal after winning the Premier League title
Last season was Martinelli's busiest in an Arsenal shirt. He made 53 appearances in all competitions, scored 11 goals and helped the club win the top-flight title for the first time since 2004. That consistency, however, was not enough to guarantee him a place in the current project.
At the start of the new campaign, Arteta left him out of the first two matchday squads and told him he would struggle for minutes if he remained at the club. The message accelerated an exit the player ultimately accepted once Al-Hilal presented their sporting and financial offer.
The wages that convinced Martinelli to move to Saudi Arabia
Al-Hilal offered Martinelli a salary package significantly higher than the deal he had at Arsenal, where he earned a reported £180,000 per week. That financial gap proved decisive as the Brazilian opted for Saudi football despite being in the middle of his prime.
Ian Wright's criticism of how Arsenal handled the situation
The way Arsenal managed Martinelli's final months at the club did not sit well with everyone. Former Gunners striker Ian Wright was particularly critical of the decision to leave him out of the squad for the opening match against Coventry.
The way Martinelli is being treated at the moment, it really makes me feel uncomfortable. I know they might want him out, but there are ways of doing that and it should suit him as well, how he wants to leave.
What Martinelli will find at Simone Inzaghi's Al-Hilal
Martinelli joins a project managed by Simone Inzaghi that has been extremely active in the transfer market this summer. The club has also brought in Ollie Watkins, the England striker who left Aston Villa in a £51 million deal, and Crysencio Summerville, the Dutch winger signed from West Ham following their relegation from the Premier League.
Martinelli was unveiled with a video on Al-Hilal's social media channels and sent a clear message: proud to be blue, proud to be Al-Hilal. With that new chapter, the Brazilian heads to a league that continues to attract talent with financial packages few European clubs can match.
Frequently asked questions about Martinelli's transfer to Al-Hilal
Frequently asked questions
How much did Al-Hilal pay for Gabriel Martinelli?
Al-Hilal paid a guaranteed £60 million to Arsenal for the Brazilian winger. The agreement also includes a sell-on clause on any future transfer.
Why did Arsenal sell Gabriel Martinelli?
Mikel Arteta told Martinelli he was not part of his plans for this season. The player was left out of the first two matchday squads and the club accepted Al-Hilal's offer.
Who are Martinelli's new teammates at Al-Hilal?
Martinelli will share a dressing room with Ollie Watkins, who joined from Aston Villa for £51 million, and Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville, signed from West Ham this summer.