'Dreams of returning': Gabriel Martinelli plan revelaed after Arsenal exit

The winger left the Gunners over the summer to join Al-Hilal in a £60million move, making him Arsenal's record sale.

He spent seven years in north London, having signed as a £6m punt from the lower leagues of Brazilian football in the summer before Mikel Arteta took charge.

Martinelli's contract in Saudi Arabia runs through to 2030, but his agent Marcos Casseb is already looking at the future beyond that.

Corinthians are the club Martinelli grew up supporting and he spent four years at the club's academy after joining at the age of six.

Gabriel Martinelli

Getty

Asked if Martinelli wanted to return to Brazil before he retired, Casseb told Brazilian news outlet Itatiaia Esporte: "I think a little further down the line, yes.

"He has four years left on his contract there, until he's 29. He does dream of returning, playing for Corinthians, the club he left, his passion. He wants to come back someday.

"He has every chance of returning to the Brazilian national team. What he needs is to perform his football well."

Martinelli made 53 appearances in all competitions last season as Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title.

However, it became clear at the start of this campaign that the club saw him as a player who could bring in a significant transfer fee.

We felt it was time for him to move on, and the club had also seen it that way. It was a very good departure for him and for Arsenal

Gabriel Martinelli’s agent

Martinelli was left out of the matchday squad for the Community Shield and then the Premier League opener against Coventry.

The Brazilian was a target for Galatasaray before he informed Arsenal that he had no desire to move to Turkey.

Casseb revealed that his client was not short of offers and even had the option to remain in the Premier League, but preferred a fresh start abroad.

"His time at Arsenal has come to an end," Casseb said. "It was seven years - he arrived there at 18 years old.

"Arsenal underwent a massive restructuring and, last year, they won the Premier League. We felt it was time for him to move on, and the club had also seen it that way. It was a very good departure for him and for Arsenal.

"Besides everything else, he also became Arsenal's biggest-ever sale and he still helped Arsenal make a lot of money from his departure.

"Did he get offers? He did, yeah. We had offers from Italian clubs, we had offers from German clubs and we had offers from other Premier League clubs.

"But it was a moment when I think he needed and he also wanted to clear his head a bit, to change scenery."