Al Hilal Suffer Surprise Defeat as Arsenal’s €70 Million Signing Struggles for Form

In the match on September 8 Beijing time, Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al Nassr received an unexpected boost. Al Hilal lost 1-2 to Jeddah United, allowing their main rivals Al Nassr to close the gap. Against Future City FC, Al Hilal conceded two goals in the first half. Although they made adjustments after the break, they were ultimately unable to turn the game around and lost three valuable points.

Al Hilal’s current squad value is €190 million, placing them among the top teams in the Saudi Pro League with a very strong squad on paper. Their opponents Future City FC, by comparison, have a squad value of only €82.5 million. However, market value does not fully represent a team’s actual competitiveness. In this match, Al Hilal created only one clear attacking opportunity, while Future City FC created three and converted their chances effectively. In the first half, Kalidou Koulibaly scored an own goal, before Kone added a second goal for Future City FC to secure the victory.

Having played one more match, Al Hilal currently lead the Saudi Pro League table with five wins, one loss and 15 points. Behind them are Al Nassr and Al Qadsiah, both with four wins, one loss and 12 points. Backed by Saudi royal support, Al Hilal signed three forwards from the Premier League during the summer transfer window, including Arsenal’s Martinelli for a transfer fee of €70 million. West Ham’s Summerville joined for €64.5 million, while Aston Villa’s Watkins arrived for €58.4 million.

It is worth noting that Martinelli was the highest-valued signing of the summer transfer window, but his performances at Al Hilal have been disappointing so far. Against Future City FC, he started and played 84 minutes, taking four shots with only one on target. He failed to complete a successful dribble or create a key pass, receiving a rating of just 6.6. In the previous match against Al Shabab, Martinelli came on as a substitute for 22 minutes and also failed to make a significant contribution, receiving an even lower rating of 6.3.

Looking back at Martinelli’s performance in the Premier League last season, he scored only one goal and provided four assists, with a market value of €40 million according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal can be considered to have benefited greatly from the deal, as manager Mikel Arteta adjusted his plans and sold Martinelli to the Saudi Pro League for a strong fee. In comparison, Arsenal’s €40 million signing Trossard has performed significantly better on the pitch and has recorded three assists since joining, making him appear to be a more cost-effective addition. For Al Hilal, their decision to regard Martinelli as a key signing will require further evaluation.