Arsenal's left-wing gap pushes Martinelli to Al Hilal

Fabrizio Romano Forward Gives Arsenal green light as Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli approves his move to Al Hilal, ending his seven-year spell at the Emirates. The 22-year-old, who has made 278 appearances and scored 62 goals, has finally signed off on the €65m deal.

Arsenal's left‑wing reshuffle

Arsenal entered the summer window with arrivals of goalkeeper Illan Meslier, forward Christos Tzolis, midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and defender Ezri Konsa. At the same time, Mikel Arteta allowed Leandro Trossard, Christian Norgaard and Reiss Nelson to depart, leaving a clear need for a left‑wing replacement. The club has continued to chase further signings as the deadline approaches, with Martinelli expected to be the first major exit.

Al Hilal deal specifics

Talks with Saudi giants Al Hilal have centred on a €65m (£55.7m) package, but the SPL side insisted on securing the player’s approval before finalising the transfer. Martinelli’s medical is slated to be booked soon, and he is set to sign a long‑term contract, bringing an end to his seven years at the Emirates Stadium. This finally gives the green light for the transfer.

Manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged the likelihood of an exit, saying, "It's inevitable, at some point you need to have certain discussions and say certain things that sometimes are tough." He added, "I think everybody knows and recognises how much we love Gabi (Martinelli). Whatever the outcome is, it will be because everybody agrees to that."

Martinelli was left out of Arsenal's opening Premier League match against Coventry, a game the Gunners won 3‑0 last Friday. His omission underscored the club’s preparation for a reshaped attacking line‑up.

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