Gabriel Martinelli's Emotional Arsenal Farewell Omits Mikel Arteta After £60m Al-Hilal Transfer

Gabriel Martinelli has sealed a club-record transfer from Arsenal to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for £60 million. The 25-year-old winger, who had been sidelined by manager Mikel Arteta, shared an emotional farewell message to the Gunners that noticeably left out any mention of Arteta.

Breakdown in Relationship Leads to Departure

After seven years at the Emirates Stadium, Martinelli officially joined Al-Hilal, following a medical in Riyadh earlier this week. This move came amid a sudden collapse in his relationship with Arteta. Despite playing a key role in Arsenal’s Premier League title win last season, Martinelli was dropped from recent squads, missing key fixtures like the Community Shield and the Premier League opener against Coventry City.

Arteta made it clear that Martinelli no longer featured in his tactical plans, clearing the way for the lucrative transfer to Saudi Arabia. Martinelli had a year left on his contract and had previously turned down interest from Turkish club Galatasaray before accepting the offer from Al-Hilal.

Farewell Message Excludes Arsenal Manager

In his goodbye post on social media, Martinelli thanked a wide range of people connected to the club but conspicuously omitted any reference to Arteta. He wrote:

I can only thank the staff and my teammates. Thank you to the chefs, kit staff, doctors, doormen, security staff, media team, cleaning staff, physios, and every single teammate who has been part of my story from 2019 until today. And to the fans, thank you for everything. Since my first day, you made me feel at home. Every time I stepped on the pitch, despite everything, I tried to give everything I had for this shirt. To Arsenal, thank you for believing in me and giving me the chance to show myself to the world.

He continued by expressing gratitude to his family and wife for their support through the challenges he faced, saying it had been a long journey now coming to an end.

I'm writing this with tears in my eyes, so hard to put 7 years into words. From 35 to 11. Once a Gunner, Always a Gunner. Goodbye, and thank you again.

Dressing Room Tensions and Squad Changes

Martinelli's departure reportedly stirred unrest among Arsenal players. Some senior squad members were disappointed by how Arteta excluded him during the summer. Former striker Ian Wright expressed discomfort with Martinelli’s treatment on Sky Sports.

Arsenal have moved quickly to fill the void on the left wing. They signed Christos Tzolis for £34 million and are using Eberechi Eze as backup, while also attempting to sign Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, without success.

Martinelli leaves England after 191 Premier League appearances and joins an Al-Hilal team managed by Simone Inzaghi, alongside new signings Ollie Watkins and Crysencio Summerville.

Looking Ahead: Arsenal and Martinelli

Arsenal aim to move past any squad tensions as they defend their Premier League title, hoping their revamped attack gels quickly. Meanwhile, Martinelli will adapt to life in Saudi Arabia, where Al-Hilal are battling at the league’s summit against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr. Inzaghi will expect immediate impact from his £60 million signing.

• Saudi Pro League fixture: Al Shabab vs Al Hilal, 4 Sept 2026, 20:00
• Premier League fixture: Arsenal vs Chelsea, 6 Sept 2026, 17:30