Gabriel Martinelli is on his way out of Arsenal, with Al Hilal reaching a verbal agreement with the Premier League club for a deal worth more than €65 million, including add-ons.
Martinelli has agreed a long-term contract with the Saudi Pro League side and has been given permission to travel within the next 24 hours to complete the transfer.
The move brings an end to a seven-year spell at Arsenal for the Brazilian, who arrived from Ituano as a teenager in 2019.
He did not take long to make an impression. Martinelli scored 10 goals in his first season and was named Arsenal’s Player of the Season. He was also part of the side that won the FA Cup in 2020, while his solo goal against Liverpool in the competition remains one of his standout moments in an Arsenal shirt.
His numbers continued to grow as he became a regular under Mikel Arteta. In the 2022/23 season, Martinelli scored 15 Premier League goals and supplied five assists as Arsenal mounted a serious title challenge.
He leaves after more than 200 appearances and over 50 goals for the Gunners, having also helped them win the 2023 Community Shield and return to the Champions League.
Al Hilal, meanwhile, have become one of the biggest names in Saudi football’s recent spending drive. Neymar was their headline arrival in 2023, joining from Paris Saint-Germain, while the club have since continued to attract established international names including João Cancelo, Aleksandar Mitrović and Rúben Neves.
That backdrop gives Martinelli an idea of the level of expectation awaiting him in Riyadh. He is arriving not simply as another foreign signing, but as part of a squad being built to compete for major domestic and continental honours.
Al Hilal are also working on a move for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, with the Saudi club planning to bring the English forward and Martinelli together in attack.
The remaining formalities, including the medical and paperwork, are expected to follow after Martinelli arrives in Saudi Arabia.
