Gabriel Martinelli’s transfer from Arsenal to Al Hilal still hasn’t been confirmed after Tuesday’s Premier League deadline day, so is the move still going ahead?
Tuesday’s transfer deadline day brought a number of loans and sales for Arsenal, but one notable omission was any confirmation of Gabriel Martinelli’s club-record exit to Al Hilal.
James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that the move is still set to go ahead, but there was no expectation of it getting done on the Premier League’s deadline day.
The transfer window in Saudi Arabia doesn’t close until September 6th, so there’s still plenty of time. Martinelli will reportedly hold a medical today, before signing a four-year deal.
David Ornstein recently reported for the same publication that Arsenal and Al Hilal were close to finalising a €70m (£60m) transfer, with no add-on payments involved in the deal.
That may not be the last of the money Arsenal receive, as James Benge also reported on Sunday that progress has been made ironing out issues on a sell-on clause.
Benge had previously broken the news that Arsenal were looking to include a sell-on in the deal, which could provide the club with a further financial boost further down the line.
All in all, this is easily Arsenal’s club-record sale, which is both a reflection of some good negotiating in this instance, as well as a more general failure by the club to get better fees in the past.
Martinelli has been a key player for Arsenal over the last seven years, making 278 appearances and scoring 62 goals from his spot on the left wing.
The 25-year-old has won the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Community Shield, and he extended his contract on a couple of occasions amid intense interest from elsewhere.
But the last couple of weeks have made it clear Mikel Arteta no longer intends to give the winger significant minutes, leaving him out of the matchday squads for the first three games of the season. It seems his move to the Saudi Pro League is now almost done.
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