Arsenal said goodbye to attacker Gabriel Martinelli earlier this week and he has already gone on to make his debut in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Hilal
Gabriel Martinelli before an Al-Hilal game
Gabriel Martinelli made his debut for Al-Hilal after signing from Arsenal(Image: Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
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Gabriel Martinelli was happy to combine his Al-Hilal debut with a victory just days after completing his move from Arsenal. The Brazilian winger completed a transfer away from Emirates Stadium after the Premier League's window shut and quickly got to work with his new side.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves got on the scoresheet as Al-Hilal earned a 2-0 win over Al-Shabab, and Martinelli came off the bench in the 67th minute. The ex-Arsenal ace has joined the likes of Ollie Watkins and Crysencio Summerville as arrivals from the Premier League, while the side waved goodbye to Karim Benzema, Darwin Nunez and ex-Gunner Pablo Mari.
Martinelli took to social media to express his joy, after making his debut. "First time out in blue Happy to mark my debut with a good away win," he posted.
Martinelli, 25, was an expected exit from Arsenal's squad after being left out of Mikel Arteta's first two Premier League squads for 2026/27. Nevertheless, Arteta had some kind words, when asked about the winger's departure.
"With Gabi, gratitude and it's been a pleasure to work with him, to be part of this journey with him." the Spaniard said in his press conference. "The Gabi that I met and the Gabi that just left, it's a huge transformation, both in the personal side and in the professional side.
"I think the impact that he had for the club, his ambition, his love for the game and the way he has, I think, helped us to grow and achieve our goals. I think he's been a critical player. So, yeah, the story ends and we wish him all the very best in a different one. This is part of football."
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Meanwhile, Arteta was conspicuously absent from Martinelli's farewell message earlier this week. The Brazilian wrote an extensive list of thanks to his former team, but did not include his former boss in the message or the photographs that accompanied it.
"I can only thank the staff and my teammates," he posted. "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. Thank you to everyone who helped me grow during this journey.
"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.
"Most of all, I want to thank my family and my wife, who have been by my side throughout this entire journey, giving me all the emotional support I needed to overcome the challenges that only we truly know. It has been a long journey, too much history and now it has come 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."