Agent reveals Gabriel Martinelli wants to return to Corinthians one day | OneFootball

Even though he has been away from Brazilian football since the start of his professional career, Gabriel Martinelli still has Corinthians in his plans for the future. Developed in the club’s youth system, the 25-year-old forward wants to return to Parque São Jorge at some point in his career, according to his agent, Marcos Casseb.

Currently at Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Martinelli is under contract until 2030. Because of that, a possible return to Brazil is not being treated as an immediate possibility. Even so, the player’s representative said in an interview with Itatiaia that wearing the black-and-white shirt again is part of the forward’s dreams.

Photo: Reproduction / Instagram

“I think that a little further down the road, yes (returning to Brazilian football). He has four years left on his contract there (in Saudi Arabia), until he is 29. He does have the dream of coming back, playing for Corinthians, the club he came from, his passion. He does want to come back one day.”

The statement comes shortly after another new turn in the forward’s career. Martinelli left Arsenal of England to play for Al-Hilal, where he signed a deal valid for the next four seasons.

Corinthians was part of the beginning of Martinelli’s journey

The relationship between the forward and Timão began long before his arrival in professional football. Martinelli joined Corinthians at the age of six to play futsal and later made the transition to the full-sized game.

Between the ages of 10 and 13, he remained in the black-and-white club’s youth system. His time there came to an end in 2015, when his parents moved to Itu, in the interior of São Paulo state. The change in the family’s routine led the player to look for an opportunity closer to the new home.

Martinelli had a trial at Ituano and stayed with the club, where he later began his professional career and gained recognition. In an interview with ge back in 2019, the forward explained how the move happened:

“I arrived at Corinthians futsal when I was six years old. From 10 to 13, I was in football. My parents retired and decided to move to Itu, and I went with them. I had a trial at Ituano, and Juninho [Paulista, a five-time world champion with Brazil and the club’s executive] liked me. We prioritized our life, which is calmer here. My agent told me it was possible to pursue a career in the countryside, prioritizing clubs from abroad. And it has worked out.”

Although he did not make it to the professional level through Corinthians, his formative years at Parque São Jorge maintained a bond between the player and the club, which was now mentioned by his agent when discussing plans for the coming years.

Spell in England before the move to Saudi Arabia

After standing out at Ituano, Martinelli was transferred to Arsenal in 2019 in a deal valued at approximately R$ 30 million at the time.

The forward spent seven years in English football. According to the published figures, he played 278 matches for Arsenal, scored 62 goals, and provided 34 assists. In the last season before the transfer, he was also part of the squad that ended the club’s 22-year wait without winning the Premier League.

Martinelli also earned a place in the Brazilian national team during his time in England and took part in the last two editions of the World Cup.

The move to Al-Hilal opened a new chapter in his career. So far, the forward has played four matches for the Saudi club and scored three goals, all of them in the 6-0 win over Al-Taawoun in the Saudi league.

Transfer also brings value to Corinthians

Even though Corinthians was not responsible for Martinelli’s professional debut, the club is entitled to a share of the transfer because it took part in his development.

Through FIFA’s solidarity mechanism, the club is expected to receive approximately R$ 2 million from the deal between Arsenal and Al-Hilal. The system reserves a percentage of the transfer fee for the teams responsible for developing a player between the ages of 12 and 23.

As Martinelli was registered with Corinthians during part of that period, Timão is entitled to a fraction of the transfer amount. Under the mechanism’s rules, the percentage allocated to the training club varies according to the player’s age during each development season.

Ituano, where Martinelli continued his youth development and began his professional journey before moving to Europe, will also benefit from the transfer, with approximately R$ 49 million, according to the published information.

For now, the possibility of Martinelli returning to Corinthians remains a wish for the future, with no negotiations underway. With a long-term contract in Saudi Arabia, the forward will remain abroad, but according to his agent, he still has in his plans the possibility of reuniting with the club where he began his football journey.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.