£100m Temptation: Should Arsenal Sacrifice Gabriel for a Prolific No. 9? | OneFootball

Most Gooners would agree that the last two transfer windows have been underwhelming. There’s a sense that Arsenal missed out on some obvious deals, like signing a clinical striker and a versatile winger, either last summer or even mid-season.

This summer, however, there’s plenty of excitement about what the club might deliver. The expectation is that Arsenal will address key needs: a top-class striker, a high-quality winger, and a midfielder to replace the departing Jorginho (and potentially Thomas Partey).

As the Gunners prepare to dive deep into the transfer market and aim to bring in top-quality stars, one particular comment from David Ornstein should give fans pause for thought.

Ornstein has hinted that a key departure might be on the cards. In his column for The Athletic, where he answered Premier League fans’ questions, the transfer guru said: “It wouldn’t shock me to see a notable player depart this summer but, at the time of writing, I don’t know who that might be.”

While Ornstein admitted he doesn’t know who this potential departure could be, could it possibly involve Gabriel Magalhães?

LEICESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 25: Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal in action with Kelechi Iheanacho of Leicester City during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Arsenal FC at The King Power Stadium on February 25, 2023 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Reports suggest that Al-Nasr are keen on the stalwart Arsenal defender. While the club has made it clear they won’t entertain offers—even those as high as £100 million—what if the Saudi Pro League side table a bid exceeding £100 million? Should Arsenal reject it?

It’s hard to argue against accepting a world-record transfer fee for a centre-back, particularly in a summer where Arsenal are rumoured to be targeting marquee signings like Alexander Isak and potentially Bruno Guimarães.

Only an extraordinary bid could see Arsenal prise Isak away from Newcastle, and a major sale by Arsenal might be needed to fund such a move. With Arsenal’s desperate need for a prolific No. 9—and Isak fitting that profile—would selling Gabriel at a premium to Al-Nasr be a wise move?

Of course, one could argue that letting Gabriel leave would create a significant void in Arsenal’s defence. However, there are options to fill that gap. Riccardo Calafiori could slot in as a left-sided centre-back, and links to Jorrel Hato have also surfaced, suggesting Arsenal could still find a capable partner for William Saliba. Additionally Mikel Merino could take over as a threat in set pieces.

So, what do you think? Is selling Gabriel at a premium the right move to fund Arsenal’s summer ambitions, or is his defensive presence too valuable to lose?

Daniel O ________________________________________________________________________________________ ADMIN COMMENT

So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….

You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.

CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…

More Stories / Latest News

£100m Temptation: Should Arsenal Sacrifice Gabriel for a Prolific No. 9?

21 March 2025, 18:00

Could This Be the Year Arsenal Women Reclaim the WSL Golden Boot?

21 March 2025, 17:00

Reports suggest Arsenal are ready to trigger the €58 million release clause for Athletic Bilbao winger

21 March 2025, 16:00