Mikel Arteta snubbed! Gabriel Martinelli aims dig at Arsenal boss in emotional farewell message after record £60m Al-Hilal transfer

Martinelli has officially ended his seven-year stay at the Emirates Stadium, signing for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal in a club-record £60m sale for Arsenal. The 25-year-old was unveiled by the Riyadh-based club on Thursday after completing his medical in the Middle East earlier in the week.

The Brazilian's exit follows a rapid breakdown in his relationship with Arteta. Despite helping Arsenal secure a historic Premier League title last season, Martinelli was ruthlessly excluded from recent matchday squads, missing out on the Community Shield victory and the top-flight opener against Coventry City.

Arteta explicitly told the winger he was no longer part of his tactical plans, paving the way for the lucrative Middle East switch. Martinelli, who had entered the final 12 months of his contract, previously rejected an approach from Turkish giants Galatasaray before agreeing to the Saudi transfer.

Following the official announcement, Martinelli took to social media to bid farewell to North London. However, the attacker pointedly left Arteta out of his extensive list of acknowledgements, thanking almost everyone else associated with the club.

"I can only thank the staff and my teammates," Martinelli wrote. "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. 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."

He continued: "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."

Concluding the emotional post, he added: "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."

Martinelli’s brutal exit has reportedly caused unrest within the Arsenal dressing room. Several senior players were left disappointed by his complete exclusion over the summer. Former Gunners striker Ian Wright also voiced his dismay, telling Sky Sports: "The way Martinelli is being treated at the moment, it really makes me feel uncomfortable."

Arsenal have already taken aggressive steps to rebuild their left flank without their longest-serving player. The club secured Christos Tzolis in a £34m deal this summer and are utilising Eberechi Eze as a backup option, having also launched an unsuccessful bid for Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior.

Martinelli leaves England having made 191 Premier League appearances. He now joins a star-studded Al-Hilal side managed by Simone Inzaghi, teaming up with fellow new arrivals Ollie Watkins and Crysencio Summerville in Riyadh.

Arsenal will look to move past any lingering dressing room tension as they defend their Premier League crown. Arteta must ensure his newly assembled attacking unit clicks quickly to maintain momentum early in the campaign.

Meanwhile, Martinelli will settle into life in the Middle East. Al-Hilal are locked in an intense battle at the top of the Saudi Pro League alongside Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr, and Inzaghi will expect his new £60m signing to deliver immediate results.