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The Gunners boss now has eight senior center-backs to choose from, so who could come out of the Emirates?
After weeks of speculation and some last minute twists and turns, Arsenal finally have their man.
Gabriel Magalhaes arrived from Lille on a five-year contract to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s bottom line and potentially form a central defense partnership with William Saliba that could remain intact for years to come.
The Gunners researched both extensively and believe they have landed two of the best young defenders in Europe.
For Arsenal, Gabriel’s capture is a particularly big blow. They had to fight serious interests elsewhere and for around £ 25 million ($ 33 million) they have acquired it for what appears to be a very good price.
However, his arrival means that there are now eight center-backs in Arteta’s senior team, and that’s not including Konstantinos Mavropanos, who will spend 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 payroll, it’s too high a number, meaning there will have to be departures before the transfer window closes in October.
Given that Gabriel, Saliba and Pablo Mari have just arrived, it’s safe to say that 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 he arrived at Arsenal, the Brazilian showed with his performances in the semi-final of the FA Cup and in the final itself how good he can be, especially when playing behind.
Arteta is also a huge fan of Luiz and will be aware of how important the 33-year-old could be when it comes to helping Saliba and Gabriel adjust to their new surroundings in England.
Saliba, who won’t turn 20 until next March, has made just 32 senior category appearances so far in his short career, while 22-year-old Gabriel played just 50 times for Lille after moving from Brazilian Avai. second division in 2017.
Both will need time to adjust to a new country, a club the size of Arsenal and the demands of the Premier League. Having Luiz there, not only to guide them off the pitch during their early days in North London, but also to relieve pressure, 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 has spoken about how important Luiz has been behind the scenes at Arsenal. Bukayo Saka has praised the Brazilian for the way he takes care of the club’s youth.
“He is a man with a big heart and he also has a lot of experience in the game,” Saka said. “He goes out of his way to advise and help all young players.”
“I’m sure if you ask them they will also tell you how much he is there to support us. He is a very important member of our team.”
Saka’s opinion is one echoed by Joe Willock. “The player I admire the most has to be David,” said the midfielder.
“Not only is he an incredible player, he is also an incredible person. He’s like a mentor and a big brother to me. “
Luiz, then, could have a vital role to play this season. Gabriel and Saliba may seem like an obvious couple, but you have to remember how young and inexperienced they are. It would be a huge surprise to see both of them start the season side by side in last four.
The most likely option is for Arteta to stick with the 3-4-3 formation that fans saw him use so successfully in the FA Cup final, with Saliba to the right of Luiz and Gabriel to the left.
Arsenal prepared that way when they beat MK Dons 4-1 in their first friendly of the summer last Tuesday, and although neither Luiz nor Gabriel were involved, Saliba played the first half operating on the right side of a back three, and he gave an early glimpse of his qualities, not just defensively, but also when he’s on the ball.
It was an impressive first performance in an Arsenal jersey 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 for him for next year, but we have to take into account how old he is and what he has done in the past,” the Arsenal head coach said last month.
“I will make sure to 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.
They both have just one year left on their contracts in North London and would be allowed to move on if offers come in this summer.
Napoli are showing interest in Sokratis, but sources close to the player insist he is in no rush to leave, even though he only made two brief appearances as a substitute following the restart of football in June.
That shows how difficult it can be for Arsenal to balance the books at center-back. It’s not just about reducing the numbers, but also about lightening a salary bill that has become something of a millstone around the club’s neck without the riches of the Champions League to rely on.
The Gunners would also hear offers by Newcastle United-linked Holding and Calum Chambers, which are being watched by Fulham.
The former Southampton player spent a successful season on loan at Craven Cottage in 2018-19, but has not played since the cruciate ligament in his left knee was torn last December and has yet to return to full training.
Moving players forward is now a huge challenge for Arsenal, who need to raise funds from sales to pursue their other transfer goals, such as Thomas Partey of Atlético de Madrid and Houssem Aouar of Lyon.
Arteta is overseeing a period of big change at Arsenal and nowhere is that more apparent than on defense.
Now that Gabriel has joined Saliba, the new guys are in his place. However, getting on with some of the old guard will take a bit more work.
