Gabriel Martinelli travelling to break Arsenal transfer record

Gabriel Martinelli has agreed to join Al Hilal from Arsenal, and Team Talk says he is travelling to the Saudi Pro League to finalise his move to the club.

The Brazilian has been told to leave by Arsenal as he no longer features in their plans for the season and has been offered to several clubs.

The Gunners see him as a player to sell this summer and raise funds, and they would be looking to make that happen when possible, with a move now appearing close.

Al Hilal pushed to sign Martinelli after Rafa Leao turned them down. Interestingly, Martinelli had rejected an approach from Galatasaray because he wanted to stay in Europe and prove his worth.

Martinelli agrees Al Hilal move

However, the money on offer in the Pro League was too much for him to turn down, and he will now move to Saudi Arabia to continue his career.

The move would also see Martinelli break Arsenal’s transfer sales record, making his departure a significant financial development for the Gunners.

The most expensive player Arsenal had previously sold was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who joined Liverpool in 2017 for £35 million. Martinelli is now set to surpass that figure by a significant margin.

Arsenal set for record sale

The report says Martinelli is set to earn Arsenal around £56.5 million from the sale of the Brazilian. That would represent a substantial return for the Gunners and make his departure one of the biggest sales in the club’s history.

The transfer would also allow Arsenal to generate considerable funds from a player who no longer features in their plans for the season. Martinelli’s decision to move to Saudi Arabia therefore benefits both the player and the club financially.

Arsenal will also make a huge profit from the £6 million they paid to sign the attacker from Ituano in 2019. The difference between that initial investment and the reported sale fee represents a major financial gain for the Gunners.

That profit is another reason for Arsenal to complete the deal now that an offer of such magnitude is on the table. Martinelli can begin a new chapter of his career with Al Hilal, while Arsenal can use the proceeds from his departure to support their plans for the rest of the transfer window.