Gabriel Martinelli has completed a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, marking the most lucrative transfer in Arsenal's history with a fixed fee of £60 million that also contains a sell‑on clause. This figure eclipses the previous club record set in the summer of 2017 when Arsenal sold Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain to Liverpool for £40 million.
Martinelli, who arrived at the Emirates Stadium as an 18‑year‑old from the Brazilian outfit Ituano, will now be recorded as a pure profit on Arsenal's financial statements, as his original acquisition cost was negligible compared to the current fee. The Brazilian forward’s decision to head to the Saudi Pro League follows a rejected approach from Turkish giants Galatasaray earlier in the summer. Galatasaray had tabled an offer of roughly £38.9 million, but Martinelli opted against a move to Turkey at that time, preferring to keep his options open. At 25, he becomes the latest high‑profile player to leave the Gunners, taking Arsenal’s total income from player sales this summer to more than £120 million.
Martinelli’s departure arrives shortly after another left‑winger, Leandro Trossard, was transferred to Turkish side Beşiktaş in July. The exodus of two prominent left‑sided attackers has forced Arsenal to look elsewhere for width. The club responded by signing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, who was immediately thrust into the starting lineup for the first two Premier League victories of the season, both of which took place without Martinelli on the pitch. Following Arsenal’s opening‑day triumph over Coventry City, former Gunners striker Ian Wright voiced his discomfort to Sky Sports over how Martinelli’s situation had been handled, arguing that the 25‑year‑old deserved greater respect from the club hierarchy.
Martinelli had joined Arsenal in 2019 and, over the course of his tenure, amassed 191 Premier League appearances, contributing 41 goals and 24 assists. In the title‑winning 2022‑23 campaign, he featured in 30 league matches, though only 11 of those were starts – his lowest number of starts since the 2020‑21 season.
With Martinelli’s exit, only one player remains from the squad that Mikel Arteta inherited when he took over on December 20 2019, succeeding Unai Emery after a brief interim spell by Freddie Ljungberg. That player is Bukayo Saka, who, alongside the newly arrived Martinelli, represented the core of Arteta’s rebuilding project.
Arteta has dramatically reshaped the roster, phasing out veterans such as David Luiz and Alexandre Lacazette and introducing fresh talent that helped lift Arsenal from a 15th‑place finish to Premier League champions. William Saliba, another player who was on Arsenal’s books when Arteta arrived, spent the 2019‑20 season on loan at Saint‑Étienne and only made his Premier League debut for the Gunners in the opening game of the 2022‑23 season, a 2‑0 victory over Crystal Palace. Martinelli himself endured an injury‑laden start to Arteta’s tenure but blossomed in the 2022‑23 season, netting 15 goals and playing a pivotal role in Arsenal’s push for their first league crown in 19 years.
However, his form in the subsequent season saw him slip to third in the hierarchy for the left‑wing position, behind the newly signed Christos Tzolis and Eberechi Eze. The financial details of the transfer window also include several other moves: Fabio Vieira transferred to Porto for £7.7 million, Jakub Kiwior also headed to Porto for £19 million, Leandro Trossard moved to Beşiktaş for £17 million, Gabriel Jesus joined Barcelona for £8.6 million, Christian Norgaard switched to Everton for £7 million, Ethan Nwaneri secured a loan to Borussia Dortmund, and Karl Hein was signed by Werder Bremen for £2.6 million. These transactions illustrate Arsenal’s broader strategy of capitalising on the market value of its assets while reinvesting in younger prospects.
Martinelli’s move to Al Hilal also reflects a growing trend of European talent heading to the Middle East, attracted by lucrative contracts and the chance to experience a different football culture. While some critics argue that such moves may dilute the competitive quality of European leagues, players often cite the financial security and the opportunity to be part of ambitious projects in rapidly developing leagues as compelling factors. In summary, Gabriel Martinelli’s £60 million transfer to Al Hilal not only sets a new benchmark for Arsenal’s selling record but also underscores the club’s evolving financial model, which balances on‑field success with prudent asset management.
The departure signals a new chapter for both Martinelli, who will aim to make an impact in Saudi Arabia, and Arsenal, which will continue to reshape its squad under Arteta’s guidance, seeking to sustain the momentum that delivered the long‑awaited Premier League title.