By OkayGoal
The Gabriel Martinelli transfer saga has taken an unexpected turn, with a Qatari club reportedly tabling a striking financial offer that Arsenal appear ready to accept, even if the player himself may have other ideas.
Arsenal get £60m bid for Gabriel Martinelli
According to transfer insider Franchise (@franchisexcl), Al-Sadd presented a financial package worth up to sixty million pounds to Arsenal yesterday morning. What makes the offer stand out is not just the number, but how it would be paid. Rather than being spread across the length of a contract, typically five or six years in these kinds of deals, the fee would reportedly be settled in just two instalments. That is an aggressive structure by transfer market standards, and one that appears designed to get a deal over the line quickly.
Mikel Arteta & Co are said to be ready to accept the offer, which is not entirely surprising given Martinelli’s reduced role in the squad this season.
But the bigger question mark is over the player himself. Martinelli is not particularly keen on a going away from European football at this age and interest away from the continent has historically been a tough sell for players still very much in the prime years of their career.
Al – Saad have this morning presented a financial package to Arsenal for Gabriel Martinelli worth up to £60m. 🇧🇷
Brazilian is not expected to be keen on a move outside of Europe, but the financial offer by Al – Saad is a ludicrous one, as it would be paid in only two…
— Franchise 🎳 (@franchisexcl) August 17, 2026
Serie A still circling
While the Al-Sadd offer grabs the headlines, it is far from the only interest in Martinelli. Roma’s pursuit has already been well documented, but the same report notes that Napoli and even AC Milan remain keen as well. That gives Martinelli a genuine choice if he decides a fresh start in Italy suits him better than a lucrative move further afield.
This looks like a case of two very different offers pulling in opposite directions. Arsenal have a route to a quick, lucrative sale on the table, while Martinelli appears to be leaning toward staying in Europe if he does leave at all. With three Serie A clubs still in the picture, Italy remains the most likely destination if a move does happen this window, regardless of how tempting Al-Sadd’s numbers might look on paper.