Gabriel Martinelli leaves Arsenal for Saudi side Al-Hilal in $81.2 million deal

Seven years, 278 appearances and a chapter that closed all at once. Gabriel Martinelli is no longer an Arsenal player. The Brazilian forward has signed for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal in a deal worth around 60 million pounds (about $81.2 million), according to British media, though the London club did not confirm the exact figure.

Arsenal made the announcement themselves on social media: "Thank you for everything and good luck, Gabi." A short message to send off a player who arrived as a virtual unknown at just 17 years old and became a fixture of the attack for nearly a decade.

If the fee is confirmed, this would be the most expensive departure in the club's recent history, surpassing the 35 million pounds ($46.3 million) Liverpool paid for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017. That's no small detail for a club known for selling high but rarely at these levels.

A left flank running thin

Martinelli's exit comes just a month after Leandro Trossard, another left-footed winger, departed for Besiktas. Arsenal did bring in Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, but between the two departures there's a clear gap on that side. The club's plan is to lean on Eberechi Eze, who will take on more minutes in that spot, while Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka could also rotate into that position when needed.

What stood out was how Martinelli's presence in the team gradually faded. He was left out of the Community Shield win over Manchester City, and he also didn't make the squad for Premier League wins over Coventry and Aston Villa. That handling of the situation stirred plenty of noise among fans and inside the club as well.

Ian Wright, the Arsenal legend, didn't hide his frustration over how the situation was handled:

I felt uncomfortable with that, he deserved more respect.Ian Wright

Martinelli leaves the club with 27 caps for Brazil, a journey that began when he was practically still a kid and now takes him to try his luck in the Saudi Pro League, where the transfer window closes Sunday, three days after the Premier League window shut.

It remains to be seen how Arsenal will cope without two of their natural options on the left, right in a season when they're looking to compete for titles on multiple fronts. The squad has players who can fill in, but losing a player with Martinelli's upside, and at this price, always leaves a mark.