Arsenal are on the verge of completing the sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in a deal worth £60million, a fee that would make the Brazilian forward the most expensive departure in the club's history. According to reports, Martinelli is due to travel to Saudi Arabia within the next 48 hours to undergo a medical before the transfer is officially finalised.
The fee eclipses the previous record received by Arsenal for an outgoing player, which stood at £35million when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain moved to Liverpool back in 2017. Martinelli's exit would mark the end of a seven-year association with the north London club, one that began in the summer of 2019 under then-manager Unai Emery.
The winger arrived as a promising young talent from Brazil and quickly developed into a key figure for the Gunners once Mikel Arteta took charge just months after his arrival. Martinelli went on to become an important part of Arsenal teams that mounted sustained Premier League title challenges over several seasons, culminating in the club finally securing the championship last May.
His departure would not be an isolated case, with reports suggesting that Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira could also follow him out of the Emirates Stadium in the near future as Arteta looks to reshape his squad.
Speaking about the discussions he has had with both Martinelli and Jesus regarding their futures at the club, Arteta acknowledged the emotional weight of such conversations. "There are those conversations and those conversations go both ways," the Arsenal manager said. "I'm very satisfied with how these conversations went because I know what is in each other's hearts and the words that come through in that conversation made me really happy."
Arteta went on to admit that reaching this point required some difficult exchanges, but stressed that any resolution would be reached through mutual understanding. "But it's inevitable that at some point you need to have certain discussions and say certain things that sometimes are tough," he explained. "I think everybody knows and recognises how much we love Gabi. Whatever the outcome is, it will be because everybody agrees to that."
Martinelli's move to Al-Hilal continues a trend of Saudi Pro League clubs attracting top talent from Europe's major leagues with lucrative offers. For Arsenal, the sale represents a significant financial boost that could be reinvested into strengthening other areas of the squad as the club continues its pursuit of domestic and European silverware.
While the departure of a player who has been a consistent presence in Arteta's squad since his early days in charge will be felt by supporters, the record-breaking fee underlines how highly Martinelli is regarded in the current transfer market. His technical ability, work rate and versatility across the front line made him a valuable asset during his time in north London, and his exit marks a symbolic shift as Arsenal potentially begins a new phase involving multiple squad changes this summer.
Attention will now turn to how Arsenal choose to reinvest the funds generated from this record sale, as well as whether Jesus and Vieira's futures are resolved in the coming weeks. For now, though, all eyes are on Martinelli as he prepares for his medical and the next chapter of his career in Saudi Arabia.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (Standard Football).