Will Arsenal Lose Gabriel Martinelli? The Latest on His Uncertain Future

The long-awaited end of Deadline Day in the Premier League passed without any significant developments for Arsenal.

A late attempt to secure Malick Fofana was unsurprisingly rebuffed, Gabriel Jesus completed his widely anticipated move to Barcelona, and Julián Alvarez failed to make a surprise appearance at the Emirates. Notably absent, however, was any official confirmation of Gabriel Martinelli's transfer to Al Hilal.

While some had hoped this might be a Folarin Balogun-style case of second thoughts — perhaps Arsenal had recognized that a single natural left winger wasn't sufficient to compete across four competitions — the deal is still widely expected to be finalized.

Martinelli was spotted touching down in Riyadh on Tuesday evening, with no indication of any last-minute collapse. After all, Al Hilal and the rest of the Saudi Pro League still have the luxury of time.

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Why Gabriel Martinelli's Move to Al Hilal Hasn't Been Announced?

The Saudi Pro League operates by its own unique set of transfer rules. Clubs acquire players with a broader perspective on how each signing impacts the league as a whole — and Cristiano Ronaldo specifically — with little regard for conventional concerns around value or financial sustainability.

These quirks extend to the league's own calendar as well.

Saudi Pro League clubs are permitted to conduct transfers right up until the final moments of Oct. 12. Martinelli could theoretically feature in six more Arsenal matches and still complete a move to Al Hilal. That said, given his recent travel to Riyadh, the deal is expected to be wrapped up shortly.

Why Arsenal Didn't Sign a Martinelli Replacement?

Before Sunderland and Crystal Palace became embroiled in an agent-driven tug-of-war, Malick Fofana had briefly emerged as a target for Arsenal. The 21-year-old Belgian forward was being considered as a potential emergency signing during a summer that had already seen Morgan Rogers, Vinícius Júnior, and Julián Alvarez all reject the Gunners.

Yet even talks over Fofana were shut down at an early stage. The Athletic presents a number of conflicting reasons. The $40.5 million (£30 million) asking price from Lyon was reportedly beyond Arsenal's budget, with concerns that the club risked falling foul of UEFA's financial regulations. Arsenal, meanwhile, are said to have pointed to vague "technical reasons" as their explanation.

There are also suggestions that Arteta harbored "concerns" regarding Fofana's physical robustness. The 5'7" winger spent five months on the sidelines last season recovering from ankle surgery. Upon his return, he managed just 13 minutes across two substitute appearances in March before being ruled out for a further six weeks.

Will Arsenal Regret Inactivity?

Arsenal concluded last season with three left-wing options: Leandro Trossard, Martinelli, and Eberechi Eze. Christos Tzolis has been touted as a direct replacement for Trossard — even earning the early fan nickname 'the Santorini Sánchez' — but Martinelli's departure leaves Arteta one winger short.

Noni Madueke could potentially fill in on the left, though it has always appeared to be an uncomfortable fit for the left-footed winger. Martinelli had his clear limitations, but he brought certain key attributes that the squad is visibly missing.

Arsenal's Attacking Depth

Perhaps the quality Arsenal will miss most in Martinelli's absence is his raw pace. Speed remains an invaluable asset, and no current Arsenal player comes close to matching the outgoing Brazilian's explosive acceleration.

Against a well-organized Premier League defense, Martinelli's direct, head-down running style frequently saw him run into a wall of defenders. He managed just one top-flight goal in 30 appearances last season.

However, when introduced into an open game against Champions League opposition — particularly when Arsenal held the lead — Martinelli found space to exploit and made excellent use of it. His impressive haul of six European goals last season matched the tally achieved by Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, for instance.