On first viewing, here is a transfer that ticks every box and yet dig deeper and it is hard to shake the sense that each party wanted a little bit more than what they have settled for. The eventual terms of Martinelli's move to Saudi Arabia are significant. Al-Hilal have committed to $81 million (€70 million), all in guaranteed money, with a proportion of any future transfer due to Arsenal, which CBS Sports first revealed were part of the negotiations on Aug. 24.
Meanwhile, Al-Hilal are understood to be including a clause that will function as a sizeable release clause for any European suitors. That sale obliterates Arsenal's previous record sale, the £35 million departure of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool nine years ago. This is a very handy return on the £6 million they paid when they plucked Martinelli from the Brazilian fourth tier in 2019 on the recommendation of then recruitment chief Francis Cagigao.
It is also the third-highest fee ever paid by a Saudi club behind Jhon Duran's move to Al-Nassr in January of last year and Neymar's to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023. Martinelli too is doing well out of the move. Last month CBS Sports revealed that the 25-year-old had been offered a salary of over $23 million (€20 million) with the potential for further bonuses, a huge pay rise on what he was earning at Arsenal.
Whether the salary packet is ultimately what convinced him to make the move only he knows, but the Brazilian had entered the summer keen to stay and fight for his future in north London, even going so far as to reject interest from Galatasaray earlier in the window. Talks with Mikel Arteta subsequently made clear to Martinelli that the limited role he had got at the start of the season -- not even in the squad for the Community Shield or Premier League opener -- might well continue. These talks are understood to have taken place before club legend Ian Wright criticised Arsenal's treatment of the winger.
Having spoken to his manager, it became apparent to Martinelli that he had to move on. Prior to this summer, Martinelli's view was that if he were to leave Arsenal, it would only be for a club that afforded him a similar opportunity to compete at the highest level of the European game. Those teams have been interested -- Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid in 2025, Paris Saint-Germain in 2026 -- but have pressed ahead with other targets.
No other side came in with an offer for Martinelli this summer. Twelve months ago Martinelli's services were offered to Saudi clubs, including Al-Nassr, by intermediaries, but the player swiftly dismissed interest. Now Riyadh proved to be the best landing spot on offer.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
