Arsenal Column: True Interest in a 100 Million-pound Star, Alexander Isaaclink’s latest

Gabriel Magalges’ interest from Saudi Arabia is nothing new. It goes back several years ago.

In the summer of 2023, Arsenal had fears that Gabriel’s head had been passed down by the money that was being offered. So he was removed from the team in early games of that season.

Mikel Arteta publicly said it was tactical, but that wasn’t the case. It was because of what was happening behind the scenes with Saudi interest.

Arsenal didn’t want to lose him, so in the end Gabriel was left in place.

Since then, Gabriel has clearly formed what, in my opinion, is what in the Premier League, and perhaps even the world with William Saliba, is the best centre-back partnership.

So, the last thing Arsenal wants this summer is a repetition of what happened in 2023, and while it’s not surprising that Saudi Arabia’s interest has led to a solid offer, it’s definitely a little too early to suggest that at this stage.

Clearly, all players have prices, so I can’t sit here and say that Arsenal should not ponder the sale if a bid arrives, but in my opinion, seducing them to do business over £100 million should be huge.

Gabriel is extremely important to this team on both ends of the pitch. He is my Arsenal player of the season and along with Saliba he is a bedrock with the sides being built.

There will be changes in the summer during the summer and teams will have to adapt for next season, so centrebacks don’t want to make changes either.

So, what’s important to me is to tie Gabriel down to a new contract. Because he deserves it.

He was the first player to really sign a new contract when Arsenal made his final renewal round, and I think his wages are now a little below that of Saliba, who signed his extension a year later.

So, he clearly guarantees a new deal that reflects the height of this team. He has proven that he is one of the best centre-backs in the world, and he should be paid that way.

He is in a strong position when it comes to contract consultations. Early discussions began last year and have yet to reach a conclusion, so that’s what we need to focus on once new sports director Andrea Berta begins his new role.

Interest from Saudi Arabia will definitely complicate things a little, but I hope Arsenal will see it and convince Gabriel that his future remains in North London.

The story of Alexander Isaac will never go away.

Every time he does something good, speculation about his move to Arsenal resurfaces. That’s from a great victory on Sunday since Newcastle’s incredible victory at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final.

Arsenal wants to sign Isaac and knows that Mikel Arteta is highly praised for him. I’m sure the club will push the boat out and try to get it done if they have the chance to take him this summer.

But I haven’t seen it happening.

There is a suggestion that if Newcastle misses a Champions League location, the door might open a bit in terms of the possibility that they’ll cash out at ISAK, but I still think it’s very unlikely.

I’m sure they’ll try to sell a few other players first, especially before considering ISAK offers from domestic rivals.

They don’t have to sell him. He has a long-term deal and even if he says he doesn’t want to discuss the extension, they don’t need him to go this summer.

It requires a monumental offer to seduce them to do business for their valuable assets and I can’t see Arsenal reach the person who will make it consider to Newcastle

I said that before, but I still think Benjamin Sesco is a much more likely option when it comes to the new striker coming this summer.

The club has laid a lot of foundations for Slovenia International, and unlike Newcastle, RB Leipzig will be open to doing business at the end of the season.

It’s great to see Miles Lewis Skelly called out for England duties. It is absolutely worth it.

Ideally, Thomas Touchel probably preferred to have him at least one camp for under 21 first, but he really had to include him as other left-back options are not available.

Like I said, it’s a natural call-up. Lewis Skelly has been an exception since entering his first team setup at Arsenal this season.

There’s nothing to surprise him, and I’m sure this isn’t the case either, even with the extra scrutiny that comes with being called to England.

The way he challenged senior football this season in both the Premier League and the Champions League was very impressive, especially when considering that he is still playing in a relatively new position for him.

It wasn’t long ago that he was known as the central midfielder. This is a box-to-box player that can pop up at key moments at both ends of the pitch.

So the fact that he made himself one of the best left-backs in the country in a short time at just 18 years old shows just how intelligent he is.

At some point, there’s the view that he’ll move further up the pitch and go back to his midfield role, but it’s not short-term anyway and I’m not actually seeing what I have to say.

I think he fits that inverted left-back role very well. So I’m not really looking at the point of bringing him back to midfield for now.

Fair play to Mika Vierrez. It’s great to see him doing so well in Monaco.

Given how prolific he has been since his move from Sterngraz in January, we hope they’ll see his name on the scoresheet every time they play at this point.

It’s easy to see that and say that Arsenal regrets letting him go. Especially because he scores so many points when the club has to operate without a central striker.

But I don’t think Arsenal would see it that way. They’ll be happy to see him doing so well.

Perhaps in hindsight, they would think first they should not sell him to Sturm Glaz for just £4 million, but he made it clear at that point that they were not in a great position to negotiate as he was not going to sign a new contract.

They know they were very pleased with the then deal with Sturm Graz and the seller commission they agreed to.

Arsenal liked Vierrez when he was at the club. They knew he was a good scorer, but there were doubts as to whether he was enough to become the club’s main man.

So I think it was a good move for all parties that he went out and continued his career. It certainly has been rewarded for him and it may continue.