Gabriel Martinelli’s Arsenal career is over—and the Gunners are getting a record fee for him.
The Brazilian winger has joined Al Hilal for £60 million, making him the most expensive player Arsenal have ever sold.
Martinelli has agreed a four-year contract with the Saudi Pro League club and will wear the No. 7 shirt.
The transfer comfortably beats Arsenal’s previous club-record sale: the £40 million they received from Liverpool for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017.
The agreement also includes a sell-on clause.
Why Arsenal let Martinelli go
Martinelli’s departure follows the sale of fellow left-sided attacker Leandro Trossard to Besiktas, leaving Arsenal to reshape an area of their forward line.
The 25-year-old had already considered leaving earlier in the summer.
Galatasaray offered around £38.9 million for him, but Martinelli rejected the opportunity, with a move to Turkey not appealing to him at this stage.
Al Hilal’s proposal was different—and ultimately strong enough to change the picture.
A big payday for Arsenal
The Martinelli deal takes Arsenal’s income from player sales this summer beyond £120 million.
That makes the Brazilian’s transfer a significant piece of the club’s wider squad-building strategy, while also bringing an end to a six-year association.
Martinelli arrived at Arsenal in 2019 and went on to make 191 Premier League appearances, scoring 41 goals and creating another 24.
From key attacker to reduced role
His final season also helps explain why the move became possible.
Martinelli made 30 league appearances during Arsenal’s title-winning campaign, but only 11 came as starts.
That was his lowest starting total since 2020/21.
Arsenal finally ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title, but Martinelli’s importance within the team had diminished.
Now he gets a fresh start in Saudi Arabia.
Arsenal get a club-record £60 million. Al Hilal get an experienced Premier League winger at 25. And Martinelli gets the chance to rebuild his career as a first-choice player.