Gabriel Martinelli will not make his Al-Hilal debut against Al-Ahli. The Brazilian winger, signed from England's Arsenal, is set to miss the postponed Classico from the third round of the Roshn League, scheduled for Tuesday evening at the Kingdom Arena.
According to Saudi Arabia's "Arriyadiyah" newspaper, Simone Inzaghi has ruled Martinelli out of his plans. Al-Hilal simply do not have enough time to complete his official registration before kick-off, even though the deal is done and every detail agreed with the player and his English club.
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The club wrapped up their agreement with Arsenal and Martinelli for the Brazilian winger during the current summer window, one of the most eye-catching deals "the Leader" have pulled off. Time, though, has denied them his services for the Classico.
Martinelli is expected to touch down in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, within the next two days. A medical examination will follow, then the final paperwork on his transfer, before he becomes officially available to Inzaghi for the upcoming matches.
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Few arrive with such a pedigree. Martinelli boasts considerable experience at Arsenal, having joined the London club from Brazil's Ituano in January 2019 and gradually forced his way into the first-choice attacking options, thanks to his pace and his knack for cutting in from the flank into the centre.
His contract with Arsenal ran until the summer of 2027, yet Al-Hilal managed to swing the deal their way this window. Now he begins a new chapter in the Roshn League, with high hopes that he will prove a potent attacking addition alongside the club's other summer signings.
Al-Hilal's fans had been desperate to see Martinelli for the first time against Al-Ahli. The clock has put those plans on hold, pushing his debut back to a later fixture once the medical and official registration are complete. Supporters of "the Leader" will simply have to wait a little longer for their newest attacking weapon.
