Saudi Arabia knocks on Gabriel Martinelli's door

Gabriel Martinelli, a 25-year-old winger and current Arsenal player, has opened the door to a move to Al-Hilal after the Saudi club made contact with the English side in the final stretch of the transfer window. The initial offer stands at £50 million, while the 'gunners' value him at around £60 million.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Brazilian has become a priority target in Al-Hilal's offensive search. Pedro Neto from Chelsea and Francisco Conceição from Juventus are also options, but Martinelli has gained ground by showing willingness to negotiate his departure.

🚨🔵⚪️ Al Hilal have made official club to club contact with Arsenal for Gabriel Martinelli.

Brazilian winger opens doors to Saudi Pro League side and he’s ahead of the two options Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceição.

🎥➕ https://t.co/xGtwNxuiIh pic.twitter.com/POOS6XbKjk

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 24, 2026

Gabriel Martinelli changes his stance on Saudi Arabia

The interest from Al-Hilal comes after a summer where Gabriel Martinelli had already received offers to leave London. Galatasaray had previously tried to sign him for a lower amount, but the player rejected the opportunity to continue his career in Turkey.

The situation changed in August. Martinelli was not included in Arsenal's squad for the Community Shield against Manchester City, nor did he play in the Premier League opener against Coventry, which Arsenal won 3-0.

His contractual situation also affects the negotiation. The Brazilian is in the final year of his contract, but Arsenal has the option to extend it for another season. This circumstance allows the English club to negotiate without facing the immediate risk of losing him for free.

Martinelli joined Arsenal from Ituano in 2019. Since then, he has played 278 games and scored 62 goals with the first team, which is why the London club aims to obtain an amount close to £60 million before allowing his departure.

Arsenal receives initial offer from Al-Hilal

Al-Hilal has taken a step further by presenting an initial offer of £50 million. The amount is approximately £10 million below Arsenal's valuation, so negotiations will need to progress to bridge the gap.

The potential sale aligns with Arteta's plans. The coach acknowledged this week that some players may leave the squad before the deadline, and Martinelli is among those whose future remains uncertain after losing playing time.

The Premier League champions have increased offensive competition in recent transfer windows. Martinelli had already seen reduced minutes compared to other forwards, and the sporting direction could use his sale to create room for new operations before the window closes.

For Al-Hilal, the Brazilian currently stands ahead of Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceição in the search for a winger. The next step is to see if the Saudi club will improve the initially offered £50 million.

The negotiations now enter an economic phase. Arsenal sticks to a figure close to £60 million as reference, while Al-Hilal has already made its first move. If both parties narrow this gap in the coming days, Gabriel Martinelli may leave the Premier League before the market closes.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Arabia Saudí llama a la puerta de Gabriel Martinelli