Gabriel Martinelli has completed a permanent move from Arsenal to Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal, bringing his seven-year stay in north London to an end.
The Brazil international has signed a four-year contract with Al-Hilal after the Saudi club agreed to pay Arsenal a fixed £60 million fee. The agreement also contains a sell-on clause that could earn the Gunners additional money if Martinelli is transferred again.
Arsenal and Al-Hilal both officially confirmed the transfer on Thursday. The £60m fee makes Martinelli the most expensive sale in Arsenal’s history, eclipsing the £40m received from Liverpool for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017.
Arsenal make huge return on £6m gamble
Martinelli’s departure represents an extraordinary piece of business for Arsenal.
The Gunners signed him from Brazilian side Ituano in July 2019 when he was an 18-year-old prospect, paying a fee of around £6m.
Seven years later, Arsenal have sold him for ten times that amount.
Martinelli made 278 appearances and scored 62 goals in all competitions during his Arsenal career.
His honours include the FA Cup in 2020, the Community Shield and, most significantly, the Premier League title last season, when Arsenal finally ended their 22-year wait to be crowned English champions.
Martinelli featured 30 times in the Premier League during that title-winning campaign, although only 11 of those appearances came as a starter.
Across his entire Premier League career with Arsenal, the Brazilian made 191 appearances, scoring 41 goals and providing 24 assists.
Martinelli turned down Galatasaray before Saudi move
A departure had become increasingly likely after Martinelli slipped down Mikel Arteta’s attacking pecking order.
Arsenal strengthened the left side of their attack by signing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, and Martinelli was subsequently left out of the squad for the opening Premier League victory over Coventry City.
The 25-year-old had previously rejected the opportunity to join Galatasaray.
The Turkish champions reportedly made an offer worth around £38.9m, but Martinelli was not interested in moving to Turkey at that stage.
Al-Hilal subsequently stepped forward with a substantially larger proposal.
The Saudi club confirmed Martinelli’s four-year contract and revealed that Prince Alwaleed bin Talal funded the transfer.
Arsenal smash long-standing sales record
Arsenal’s ability to generate significant fees from player sales has often been criticised, making the Martinelli deal particularly noteworthy.
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s £40m move to Liverpool had stood as the club’s record sale for nine years.
Martinelli has now smashed that benchmark by another £20m.
The transfer also pushes Arsenal’s income from player sales this summer beyond £120m, significantly reducing the net cost of Arteta’s latest squad rebuild.
For Martinelli, the move begins a new chapter in Saudi Arabia alongside another former Premier League star, Ollie Watkins, who joined Al-Hilal from Aston Villa this summer.
Al-Hilal said Martinelli is expected to join first-team training immediately as he begins life with the Saudi giants.
For Arsenal, his departure closes the book on a seven-year journey that transformed a little-known £6m teenager from Ituano into a Premier League champion and ultimately the biggest sale in the club’s history.
