The Gunners boss now has eight senior central defenders to choose from, so who could be exiting the Emirates?
After weeks of speculation and some last minute twists, Arsenal have finally found their man.
Gabriel Magalhaes arrived from Lille on a five-year deal to bolster Mikel Arteta’s bottom line and potentially form a center-back partnership with William Saliba that could remain intact for years to come.
The Gunners have explored both of them extensively and believe they have scored two of Europe’s best young defenders.
For Arsenal, Gabriel’s capture is a particularly big shot. They had to fight serious interest elsewhere and, at around £ 25 million ($ 33 million), they acquired it for what appears to be a great price.
However, his arrival means that there are now eight center-backs on Arteta’s senior side – and that’s not including Konstantinos Mavropanos, who is spending the season on loan with Stuttgart in Germany.
For any club, that would be overkill, but for Arsenal, who are desperately trying to cut their wages, it’s too high a number which means there will be departures before the transfer window closes in October.
Given that Gabriel, Saliba and Pablo Mari have just arrived, it’s safe to say they will all be part of Arteta’s immediate plans this season, but David Luiz, Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers and Sokratis face an uncertain future.
Luiz, however, deserves to stay. Much maligned since joining Arsenal, the Brazilian has shown with his performances in the FA Cup semi-final and the final itself how good he can be, especially when playing at full-back.
Arteta is still a huge fan of Luiz, and will be well aware of how important the 33-year-old can be when it comes to helping Saliba and Gabriel adapt to their new environment in England.
Saliba, who won’t turn 20 until next March, has only made 32 senior appearances so far in his short career, while 22-year-old Gabriel has only played 50 times for Lille after moving from second-tier Brazilian Avai in 2017.
Both will need time to adjust to a new country, an Arsenal-sized club and the demands of the Premier League. Having Luiz there, not only to lead them off the pitch during their early days in North London but also to ease the pressure on it, will be vital to their development.
“Young players need stable players around them with experience who have a lot of leadership,” Arteta said last month. “The way David supports them is very important to us.”
And it’s not just Arteta who talks about how important Luiz was behind the scenes at Arsenal. Bukayo Saka praised the Brazilian for the way he takes care of the club’s youth.
“He’s a man with a big heart and he has so much experience in the game,” Saka said. “He always goes out of his way to advise and help all young players.
“I’m sure if you ask them too they will tell you how much he is there to support us. He is a very important member of our team.”
Saka’s point of view is what Joe Willock echoes. “The player I watch the most has to be David,” said the midfielder.
“Not only is he an extraordinary player, he is also an extraordinary person. He is like a mentor and a big brother to me. “
Luiz, therefore, could have a fundamental role to play this season. Gabriel and Saliba may seem like an obvious couple, but remember how young and inexperienced they are. It would be a great surprise to see both of them start the season side by side in a back four.
The most likely option is that Arteta stays with the 3-4-3 that fans have seen him use so successfully in the FA Cup final, with Saliba on Luiz’s right and Gabriel on the left.
Arsenal organized this way by beating MK Dons 4-1 in the first friendly of the summer last Tuesday and, although neither Luiz nor Gabriel were involved, Saliba played the first half by operating on the right side of a three a first taste of his qualities, not only in defense, but also in the ball.
It was an impressive first outing with an Arsenal shirt for the former Saint-Etienne star, but Arteta has already warned against putting too much pressure on the French teenager.
“I know how high the expectations are of him for next year, but we have to keep in mind his age and what he has done in the past,” the Arsenal manager said last month.
“I will make sure I create the right environment for him so that he can continue to grow as a player.”
Saliba and Gabriel are undoubtedly part of Arsenal’s future, but the same cannot be said for Mustafi and Sokratis.
Both have only a one year contract in North London and could move forward if the deals come this summer.
Napoli show interest in Sokratis, but sources close to the player insist that he is in no rush to leave, despite making only two brief appearances as a substitute after resuming football in June.
This shows how difficult it could be for Arsenal to balance their budgets as a central defender. It’s not just about lowering the numbers, but also about easing a salary bill that has become a kind of grindstone around the club’s neck with no Champions League riches to rely on.
The Gunners would also listen to offers for Holding and Calum Chambers linked to Newcastle United, which is under the eyes of Fulham.
The former Southampton player spent a successful season on loan at Craven Cottage in 2018-19, but hasn’t played since breaking his left knee cruciate ligament last December and has yet to return to full training.
Moving players is now a major challenge for Arsenal, who need to raise funds from sales to pursue other transfer goals, such as Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey and Lyon’s Houssem Aouar.
Arteta is overseeing a period of major changes at Arsenal and nowhere is that more evident than in defense.
With Saliba being joined by Gabriel, the new guys are now in place. However, moving some of the old guard will take a little more work.
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