Gabriel Martinelli top target for Al Hilal, $55m deal considered

Sports journalist Assaf Al-Khulaifi has said that Gabriel Martinelli is the top target for Al Hilal’s management, noting that while no agreement has been reached so far, Martinelli remains the club’s primary objective.

Speaking to Al Arabiya FM, Al-Khulaifi added that the club has set a maximum budget of around $55 million for a direct purchase. The second option is Portuguese player Pedro Neto, who is still among the club’s targets.

Regarding Salem Al-Dawsari, one of the Saudi League’s legends, Al-Khulaifi said he did not have a successful season last year. Despite winning Asian Player of the Year twice, advancing age and commitments with both Al Hilal and the national team mean the coming season will be very challenging. He stressed it is impossible for the coach to rely on the same 11 players throughout.

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