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Cristiano Ronaldo could help Arsenal make an eye-watering profit on Gabriel Martinelli. The Gunners winger was heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League last year, but a deal never materialised.

According to talkSPORT, Martinelli has been one of 50 players to be shortlisted by dealmakers in the Middle East ahead of the summer transfer window. The report claims that Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Vinicius Junior, and Robert Lewandowski are among the other leading targets.

It's said that Al Nassr are viewed as a 'genuine contender' for the 24-year-old, who has less than 18 months left on his contract at the Emirates Stadium. talkSPORT reckons that Arsenal are open to selling Martinelli, knowing that Andrea Berta could be open to signing a new left-winger at the end of the season.

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The Brazil international snubbed a move to the Middle East last summer, and it remains to be seen whether he'll change his mind after the World Cup. With Ronaldo entering the twilight years of his career, Al Nassr are reportedly anticipating a 'sharp decline in global interest' when he retires or leaves – hence the spike in apparent interest in the likes of Martinelli.

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talkSPORT have claimed that the Saudi Pro League outfit could keep the five-time Ballon d'Or winner as an owner, increasing his equity stake in the club to 15 per cent. As it stands, it remains to be seen whether or not Ronaldo plans to stay in the Middle East once his contract expires in June 2027, or whether Al Nassr launch a bid for Martinelli.

Earlier this month, Mikel Arteta leapt to the defence of the £39m-rated Brazilian following his incident with Conor Bradley. The Arsenal boss said: "That's personality, come in and talk on the pitch.

"To play for a big club you need a big personality because it can be that [being involved in a controversy], it can be an action that you miss, it can be something that costs you a game, and three days later there is a game, so you need to lift yourself up and make it count.

"Today he scored three goals, tomorrow he's going to train a hundred miles an hour, for sure. He's not going to change that, that's Gabi. It's part of football and then it's how you take it. But he knew inside the reason why he did what he did."

Arteta may have a soft spot for Martinelli, whom Arsenal signed for just £6m during the summer of 2019, but Berta seemed to make his feelings clear in the summer.

The Italian forked out over £100m on Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, who have each played on the left this term, before handing Leandro Trossard a lucrative new contract.