Crisis or solution?

The left wing is where Martinelli has shone for long spells of his Arsenal career. But he is no one-position player.

The Brazilian can operate on the right wing too, and he can drop into more central attacking roles, including as a false nine. That hands the coaching staff far greater scope to use him as each match demands.

Therein lies the value of the deal for Simone Inzaghi. The Italian isn't signing a player who sits in a fixed slot on the tactical board. He's getting a winger who can move, switch flanks and drift into different areas of the pitch.

Read also: A devastating attack, but: will Salem Al-Dawsari stay with Al-Hilal?

Martinelli's biggest asset? The way he handles space, flipping from defence to attack in an instant.

The Brazilian has pace and can carry the ball, and he loves to exploit the gaps behind opposition lines. Those qualities could hand him an important role in Al-Hilal's style of play, particularly when the side needs someone to turn possession or an interception into a swift, dangerous attack.

His constant movement matters too. He drags defenders out of position and opens up space for team-mates, rather than relying purely on individual runs down the flank.

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Crysencio Summerville's presence in the squad doesn't necessarily mean Martinelli's arrival will clog up the left wing. The Dutchman has enough flexibility to shift between more than one position, so the pair could hand Inzaghi multiple tactical options rather than duplicating a single role.

The Italian coach can field one of them on the wing while the other switches to the opposite flank or drops into a deeper space, depending on the nature of the match and the opponent's defensive approach.

What matters most about Al-Hilal's signing of Martinelli and Summerville isn't just their ability to create an attacking threat. Both bring a set of qualities that suit the demands of modern football.

Al-Hilal aren't after a winger who lingers on the touchline and then simply tries to beat his man. They want a player who joins the build-up, the press and the defensive work, then switches quickly to attack the moment his side wins the ball back.

Seen from that angle, the Martinelli deal looks like far more than the signing of a new left winger.

This is Al-Hilal's bid to build an attacking line with pace, flexibility and the ability to break through and dismantle defences, all while pulling its weight at both ends of the pitch.

Al-Hilal's signing of Martinelli might look at first glance like a problem, given that Summerville already occupies the same position. Yet the Brazilian's versatility and his ability to switch between roles change the picture entirely.

The deal reflects the faith Inzaghi and the sporting management have in Martinelli, and it lays bare Al-Hilal's desire for players whose impact isn't tied to one position. The real question, then, isn't: "Why did Al-Hilal sign another left winger?"

Instead, it's this: "How will Inzaghi make the most of two wingers who can play in more than one position with the same effectiveness at both ends of the pitch?"

Here lies the twist. The deal that stirred controversy when it was announced could turn from a headache over positional distribution into one of Al-Hilal's most important tactical cards next season.

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