Gabriel Martinelli’s £60m Arsenal transfer exit FINALLY confirmed after Ian Wright slammed treatment of misfit winger

ARSENAL have officially confirmed the departure of Gabriel Martinelli. The forward has left the Premier League champions to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Arsenal have confirmed the sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Al-Hilal Credit: GETTY The Brazilian has joined the Saudi Pro League side in a £60million deal Credit: Reuters The north Londoners have pocketed a cool £60million for the Brazil international, who is now the club’s RECORD sale. Martinelli’s departure comes as no surprise, as he fell behind the recently departed Leandro Trossard in the pecking order last season. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! The summer arrival of Christos Tszolis further confirmed that the writing was on the wall for the 25-year-old. Martinelli alluded to an imminent exit after the Gunners ended their 22-year-long wait to return to the summit of English football. He wrote on Instagram: “After almost seven years at this club, it’s hard to put into words what this moment means to me. “I arrived at this club when I was 18 years old. “Far from home, barely speaking the language, trying to adapt to a completely new culture, new life and chasing a dream that felt so big at the time. “I didn’t know exactly what the future would hold, but I knew I wanted to give everything for this club. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS “We didn’t just build a team, we built a family, an identity, and something the fans could believe in again. “To see this club back where it belongs is one of the proudest moments of my career. “I want to thank my family, thank everyone at the club, the staff, my /teammates, and every person working behind the scenes. “Most importantly, thank you to the fans. Your support, patience and love throughout these years never went unnoticed. “You stayed with us through the difficult moments, and this title belongs to you as much as anyone. “This club changed my life. I will always be grateful for the privilege of wearing this shirt. PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 🏆.” Mikel Arteta opted not to include Gabriel Martinelli in his matchday squads this season Credit: PA His pre-transfer banishment irked club legend Ian Wright Credit: SKY SPORTS Ahead of his Emirates departure, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta brutally left the winger out of the matchday squads for his side’s clashes against Coventry City and Aston Villa. His exile wasn’t well received by club legend Ian Wright, who said ahead of his old side’s season opener: “In respect to Martinelli and the way Martinelli has been treated at the moment, it really makes me feel uncomfortable. “Because he always gives 100 per cent.” Martinelli joined the Gunners from Itauno in the summer of 2019 for a fee of £6m. He scored 62 goals and provided 36 assists in 278 appearances for Arteta‘s side. He leaves the Emirates with one major honour to his name, a 2025/26 Premier League winner’s medal. Comment now