Club have booked medical for 25yo Arsenal star ahead of £56.6m transfer
Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal have booked a medical for Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli ahead of a potential transfer worth £56.6 million, according to CBS Sports journalist James Benge.
The Brazil international was left out of the matchday squads for the first two games of the new season, and Al-Hilal have since been in talks with Arsenal to sign the 25-year-old.
A package worth £56.6m including add-ons has almost been finalised. The clubs are sorting some final details, and Al-Hilal are already making arrangements for Martinelli’s arrival.
A medical is scheduled for the weekend for the winger, who is set to put pen to paper on a long-term contract worth £16.9m per year.
If the deal goes through, Arsenal will eclipse their sale record. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s £35m transfer to Liverpool is the current record.
Martinelli on the cusp of leaving Arsenal
The 25-year-old has been a key player for Arsenal. He managed 18 goal contributions last term despite playing second fiddle to Leandro Trossard on the left wing.
The Gunners replaced Trossard with Christos Tzolis earlier this summer, and the Greek has been fantastic with two assists in as many games.
It appears the club are planning for a marquee forward signing before the deadline. Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez seems the top target.
The Gunners want to recoup funds for a big-money acquisition, and Martinelli’s move to Saudi should boost their transfer budget.
Arsenal won’t get the entire fee for themselves, with his former club Ituano having a sell-on clause of around 20 per cent on the profit (bought for £6m).
Martinelli turned down a move to Turkish giants Galatasaray earlier this month, hoping to join a more elite European club, but his stance has changed recently.
The lucrative wages could be a prime reason behind the decision. He earns £180,000 per week at Arsenal, with around 45 percent of that figure deducted in taxes.
In Saudi, he will earn £325,000 weekly, tax-free. That represents more than three times what he earns after tax, which has probably convinced him to make the move.
It appears only a matter of time before Martinelli joins Al-Hilal.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Capology.com
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