On September 3rd, Gabriel Martinelli ended his seven-year spell at Arsenal and completed a permanent move to Al-Hilal.
The Brazil international’s agent, Federico Pena, spoke to Ajel in Saudi Arabia to discuss his move to the Middle East.
Big ambitions after leaving Arsenal
Last Wednesday, Al-Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi was hopeful of having the forward for the clash against Al Shabab FC.
The former Arsenal man made his debut when he came off the bench in the Saudi side’s 2-0 win.
Federico Pena says Gabriel Martinelli’s aim is to build his own legacy at the Middle East club.
On leaving Arsenal for Al-Hilal, he said: “Having Gabriel here and seeing him wear the Al-Hilal shirt means a great deal to me and his family. We have been on a long journey together in football. Joining this great club is an important step and a source of immense pride for us.
“Al-Hilal’s sporting project and its ongoing ambition to compete at the highest levels both in Asia and domestically are what attracted Gabriel. We do not see this move as just a stepping stone, but as a real opportunity to build a lasting legacy with a club that lives to win titles.”
Didn’t hesitate to leave Arsenal
365 Scores also got in touch with Federico Pena to get an insight into the 25-year-old’s move to Al-Hilal.
The outlet, without relaying the agent’s comments, share the behind-the-scenes details of this operation.
Gabriel Martinelli ‘never hesitated’ to join Simone Inzaghi’s side, after the negotiations became serious.
He’s aware of the media attention the Saudi Pro League side receives, both domestically and globally. This is another factor that convinced the South American to join them.
The Middle Eastern club wanted the ex-Gunners man to become an integral part of their project. The representative says this ‘completely convinced’ him to leave Mikel Arteta’s side in the summer window.
Martinelli is aware of expectations at Al-Hilal. The agent states ‘this kind of positive pressure is exactly what he’s looking for to prove himself and demonstrate his worth in this new phase of his career.’
