Gabriel Martinelli’s situation at Arsenal has changed quickly, and not in a way that suggests comfort. After being left out of Mikel Arteta’s matchday squads for the first two games of the new season, the 25-year-old is now open to the possibility of a transfer away from north London. That is a notable shift for a player who, until recently, was not prepared to entertain an exit unless it led to one of Europe’s top clubs.
The timing matters. Martinelli was omitted from Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Coventry City, and he has now been pushed into a more uncertain place in the pecking order under Mikel Arteta. When a player of his profile starts missing early-season squads, the conversation changes from rotation to relevance. In this case, it has also changed his own thinking.
Al Hilal enter the picture
The Athletic first reported that Al Hilal had registered interest in Martinelli, and Fabrizio Romano later said that official club-to-club contact had been made. That gives the story real weight. Al Hilal are not being mentioned as background noise; they are now the club linked most concretely with a possible move, and they are described as Saudi Pro League giants.
The reported valuation adds another layer. Arsenal are expected to want $81.8 million, or £60 million, for the winger. That is a serious figure, but it also reflects the kind of decision clubs make when a player is still young enough to command a premium while no longer appearing untouchable in the lineup.
There is also a football question inside the transfer noise: what exactly has changed? Three years ago, Martinelli last hit double digits for Premier League goals in a single season, which is another reminder that his output has not always matched the scale of the reputation around him. He remains a dangerous player, but Arsenal’s recent choices suggest the club is no longer built to revolve around him in the same way.
That does not mean a sale is inevitable. It does mean the balance has shifted. Martinelli had previously prioritized a move only to an elite European club if he left Arsenal, but the current opening makes his future more fluid than it has been at any point in this discussion.
For Arsenal, the issue is straightforward: if a player who once looked central to their attack is now available at the right price, the club has to decide whether this is a temporary selection problem or the start of a larger squad reset. For Martinelli, the bigger question is whether this is the moment his career takes a new direction — and whether Al Hilal are prepared to make that direction financially convincing enough to matter.
