Inside Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli dilemma and options as Al-Hilal pursue £60m deal

Gabriel Martinelli’s absence from Arsenal’s first two match squads has added to growing uncertainty over his future, with Al-Hilal now in talks over a potential move for the Brazilian winger.

Gabriel Martinelli’s Arsenal future has come under fresh scrutiny after the winger was left out of the squad for the opening two matches of the 2026/27 season as Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal stepped up its interest in the Brazilian.

Martinelli was not included in Arsenal’s squad for the Community Shield against Manchester City and was again absent when Mikel Arteta’s side began their Premier League title defence with a 3-0 victory over Coventry City on Friday.

The omissions have come as Arsenal hold talks with Al-Hilal over a possible transfer for the 25-year-old. Reports indicate that Arsenal value Martinelli at about £60 million, while Al-Hilal have shown a willingness to pay a substantial fee for the winger.

No agreement has been reached, but the discussions have placed Martinelli’s future among the key Arsenal transfer stories in the final days of the window.

Why Martinelli is being left out

Arteta has insisted Martinelli’s absence is not simply a transfer decision.

The Arsenal manager has pointed to the Premier League’s matchday squad limit, which allows clubs to name 20 players, including 18 outfield players, as one reason why established players can miss out.

After the Community Shield, Arteta said he had been pushing for the Premier League to allow clubs to name larger squads because of the number of matches players now face.

“I’ve been trying to persuade the Premier League and the clubs to be able to extend the number of players that we can have, especially the outfield players in the squads because we play more and more games and the load is unreal,” Arteta said.

He added that players could miss matches because of the limited squad size even when their qualities might have been useful.

“It’s just a shame so it’s the most difficult part of the job but there’s nothing to do with that, it’s just a fact that we can bring 18 outfield players and we believe that for today’s game these were the options that we needed, especially with the physical condition of certain players.”

However, Martinelli’s continued absence has taken on greater significance because of the transfer talks with Al-Hilal.

The Brazil international has 12 months remaining on his Arsenal contract, although the club have an option to extend it by another year. Al-Hilal’s interest therefore gives Arsenal an opportunity to make a significant return on a player who joined from Brazilian club Ituano in 2019.

Martinelli previously attracted interest from Galatasaray, but he did not accept a move to Turkey. Arsenal reportedly received an offer of about £38 million from the Turkish club.

Arsenal weighing Martinelli decision

The situation has also changed because Martinelli is no longer guaranteed a regular starting position under Arteta.

The winger struggled for consistent Premier League output last season and faced competition for his position. Arsenal have also strengthened their attacking options, including the arrival of Christos Tzolis.

Martinelli remains an experienced Arsenal player, having made 278 appearances for the club and scored 62 goals, according to reports tracking his career at the Emirates.

Read more: Christos Tzolis sends Arsenal warning to Premier League rivals as Martin Ødegaard hails summer signing

His possible departure would therefore leave Arsenal with an important decision. The club must balance the financial value of a £60 million sale against the need to maintain depth during a season involving the Premier League, Champions League and domestic competitions.

The uncertainty around Martinelli also comes as Arsenal continue to explore other attacking options. The club have been linked with Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, although The Athletic reported that Atletico would want a €150 million offer and that Alvarez’s preference remains Barcelona.

A source close to the Atletico Madrid leadership told The Athletic that the only way they saw Julian Alvarez leaving this summer would be if Arsenal made a €150million offer.

That has yet to arrive and the source viewed it as unlikely that the Premier League champions would put… pic.twitter.com/QKJWL5DJA7— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) August 24, 2026

For now, Martinelli remains an Arsenal player, but his absence from the opening squads and the talks with Al-Hilal have made his future one of the major issues for Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta before the transfer window closes.

If Al-Hilal meet Arsenal’s valuation, Martinelli could leave north London after seven years at the club. If they do not, Arsenal will have to decide whether to keep a player who still has proven Premier League and Champions League experience but has fallen down the pecking order under Arteta.