Martinelli for €65 million: the richest sale in Gunners' history

Arsenal has confirmed the sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Al‑Hilal for €65 million, setting the most lucrative sale record in the history of the London club. The transfer was completed last week.

Sale record for the Gunners

With €65 million, Martinelli's departure has become the most lucrative sale ever for the Gunners. The amount far exceeds any previous deal.

The previous record was represented by the roughly €38 million received in 2017 from the sale of Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain to Liverpool. Alex's transfer, also simply known as Oxlade or Chamberlain, had remained the benchmark until now.

Martinelli's profile and his sporting impact

Martinelli leaves Arsenal after seven seasons, having begun his adventure at the club in 2019 after moving from Ituano, a Brazilian Serie C side. The 25‑year‑old has made 278 appearances in the red‑and‑white shirt.

During his spell he scored 62 goals and provided 32 assists, contributing to the capture of a Premier League, an FA Cup and a Community Shield. His contribution has been vital to the Gunners' recent successes.

Record sale – Arsenal nets up to €135 million for Martinelli

Financial consequences for Arsenal and Al‑Hilal

Arsenal has invested over €200 million in the summer market, signing players such as Bruno Guimarães, Piero Hincapié, Ezri Konsa, Illan Meslier and Christos Tzolis.

Before Martinelli's sale, the club had received only €46 million from the departures of Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior and Christian Nørgaard.

The proceeds from the sale allow Arsenal to balance the books after a particularly costly buying campaign.

For Al‑Hilal, the purchase of Martinelli is the second most expensive in its history, surpassed only by the deal that brought Neymar to Saudi Arabia.