Gabriel Martinelli has left Arsenal to join Al-Hilal in a €70m transfer, according to Transfermarkt, making the move the most expensive sale in the London club’s history.
The 25-year-old winger’s transfer fee has established a new record for Arsenal, surpassing the previous best by almost double. That mark had stood since 2017, when Liverpool paid €38m to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from the Gunners.
Martinelli spent seven years with Arsenal after moving to the club, making 278 appearances for the London side during his time there. The Brazil international scored 62 goals and provided 36 assists across those matches.
He will now continue his career with Al-Hilal, having agreed a contract that runs until 2030. The Saudi Arabian club’s €70m payment means Martinelli’s departure is the highest-value outgoing transfer Arsenal have completed.
The size of the fee places the move well ahead of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s transfer to Liverpool. While that deal was previously Arsenal’s record sale at €38m, Martinelli’s move has raised the benchmark by €32m, based on the figures listed by Transfermarkt.
Martinelli’s seven-year spell at Arsenal has therefore ended with the club receiving its biggest-ever transfer fee for a player. His overall record for the Gunners includes 278 appearances, 62 goals and 36 assists before his switch to Al-Hilal.
The agreement also secures Martinelli’s long-term future at his new club, with the contract scheduled to remain in place through 2030. For Arsenal, the deal combines a record transfer receipt with the departure of a player who made more than 250 appearances during his time in north London.
The transfer is the latest chapter in Martinelli’s senior career, which has now taken him from Arsenal to Al-Hilal. His contribution in front of goal and as a provider is reflected in the 98 goals and assists recorded during his 278 matches for Arsenal.
At 25, Martinelli joins Al-Hilal with a substantial body of experience from his seven seasons in English football. His move has also rewritten Arsenal’s transfer history, replacing Oxlade-Chamberlain’s 2017 move to Liverpool as the club’s most profitable sale.
The €70m figure is the central detail of the agreement: it represents the amount attributed to the transfer by Transfermarkt and confirms Martinelli’s move as Arsenal’s new record outgoing deal. His contract with Al-Hilal is due to run until 2030.
