A Potential Double Exit Of Saliba And Gabriel Would Be A Major Setback For Arsenal

The Gunners defenders are the first choice centre-backs under Mikel Arteta

It is another season of coming so close for Arsenal. Victory over Newcastle United at the weekend would confirm second-place in the Premier League – barring a massive final day goal swing.

It would be the third season in a row that the Gunners have finished as runners-up, having been the closest challengers to Manchester City in each of the last two seasons.

This time it was Liverpool who beat them to the title, although the Reds are 15 points clear of Mikel Arteta’s men, so they were hardly pipped to the crown.

Arsenal did reach the semi-finals of the Champions League – one stage better than last season – but Arteta has admitted that his side have gone backwards in the Premier League.

Speaking last week he said: “In the Premier League we’ve gone a step backwards. With the points that we have created it’s clear that we haven’t done as good as last season, that’s obvious. Yeah, for sure in the Champions League we have because we’ve done better than last season but not what we want because we want to win it.

“For sure it has hurt, if it doesn’t hurt then it means you don’t love winning as much as I do that’s for sure. But you need to understand as well certain things that happened to understand.”

The Gunners face a busy summer transfer window, with a striker the biggest priority given injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus this season that hit them hard at the worst possible time.

But keeping hold of their best players is also crucial.

There have been reports circling that French defender William Saliba is keen to get assurances that north London is the place for him to win silverware in the not too distant future. Real Madrid have persistently been linked with signing the 24-year-old, who will be entering the final two years of his current contract at the Emirates Stadium.

Saliba has become one of the best defenders in the Premier League and Arsenal will need to keep hold of him to have any chance of winning the Premier League next season.

He has built up a good partnership with Brazilian Gabriel Magalhaes, but there are question marks over his future in north London too.

Gabriel has reportedly had an offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr that would triple his Arsenal salary, and reports state that he would be open to a move at some point in his career. He, like Saliba, has two years left on his contract.

The nightmare scenario for Arteta and Arsenal would be both leaving in the same transfer window. That being said, with both entering the final two years of their contracts with the Gunners, this is the optimum time to sell for Arsenal to get the most money.

Football.london