Al-Hilal enters talks with Arsenal for £60m transfer of Gabriel Martinelli

Negotiations with Al-Hilal

Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal has opened negotiations with Arsenal over the potential transfer of Brazilian international winger Gabriel Martinelli. The 25-year-old attacker has become a target for the Riyadh-based club, with formal discussions also underway between the Saudi side and the player's representatives. Arsenal is seeking a transfer fee in the region of £60 million (approximately €70 million) to sanction the departure. The current talks follow an earlier €45 million (£38.4 million) offer from Turkish club Galatasaray on August 12, which Martinelli declined after his camp informed Arsenal that he was not interested in relocating to Istanbul. Al-Hilal has communicated to Arsenal that it is willing to outbid Galatasaray's proposal to secure the winger.

Squad omission and roster constraints

Martinelli was absent from Arsenal's matchday squads for both the Community Shield victory over Manchester City and the Premier League opening win against Coventry City on Friday. Sourced reports present different perspectives regarding his standing in north London: one account indicates manager Mikel Arteta informed the forward that he is not in his tactical plans, while another states that Arsenal is open to a trade if an attractive offer arrives despite the player not actively seeking an exit. Following the fixture against Manchester City, Arteta attributed Martinelli's omission to Premier League regulations that cap matchday rosters at 20 players.

I've been trying to persuade the Premier League and the clubs to be able to extend the number of players that we can have, especially the outfield players in the squads because we play more and more games and the load is unreal, and not giving the chance to those players to be able to be here to participate because maybe it demands the qualities of one of those players and we don't have them available.

Arsenal roster changes and contract details

Martinelli joined Arsenal from Brazilian side Ituano in 2019 and has recorded 62 goals in 278 first-team appearances. During the previous season, he made 53 appearances as Arsenal claimed its first Premier League title since the 2003–2004 campaign and reached the Champions League final. Accounts differ regarding his contractual status, with one source stating he has 12 months remaining on his deal, while another reports his contract runs until 2027 with a club option to extend for another year. Arsenal has already reshaped its attacking options this summer by signing winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, selling Leandro Trossard to Besiktas for €20 million, and transferring midfielder Christian Norgaard to Everton for £7 million.

Broader transfer activity across the league

Al-Hilal's pursuit of Martinelli fits into an active summer for the Saudi club, which recruited Crysencio Summerville from West Ham United in July and arranged a loan for Darwin Nunez to Al-Diriyah. Al-Hilal is also pursuing Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who was left out of his team's opening defeat against Brighton by manager Unai Emery. Meanwhile, Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa could leave Anfield after manager Andoni Iraola omitted the 28-year-old Italian from the opening match against Newcastle United. Across Manchester, Manchester City attacker Omar Marmoush has agreed to a loan switch to Tottenham Hotspur and is scheduled for a medical on Monday.