BIG GABI ON SAUDI RADAR, AGAIN. WORRIED?

WORRYING TIMES, ESSENTIAL EXIT, OR CONTRACTUAL GAMES?

People, I am absolutely dead again… what is going on over here?

But… no time for get well soon platitudes (I know you were penning them)—there are more important things to talk about: Big Gabi linked to Saudi AGAIN.

The Saudi League’s approach to players is quite odd. There’s no particular pattern to what they do, other than picking off players who want a lot of money and making things happen. Jhon Durán took the cash when he could have had a fruitful Premier League career. Neves chose the money instead of joining a top-six Premier League team. And Big Gabi? His head was turned at the start of last season by Saudi interest, and it seems they’re back again, whispering sweet Riyals into the ears of his hungry agents.

So, there are a few angles here:

Up until last season, I don’t think Arsenal would have thrown themselves on the train tracks to keep Gabi if a massive offer landed on their desk. That said, he was one of our best players last season, and he’s been even better this season. It’s not a stretch to say he’s been more consistent than Bill Saliba—who himself has admitted as much. That makes him one of the best defenders in the world right now… and I don’t see many arguing against that.

Saliba likely earns at least £80k a week more than Gabriel, which amounts to around £4m a year—a huge disparity when you consider their similar talent levels. Saliba has a sexier brand, he’s seen as Beauty, while Gabriel is the Beast. Gabriel will no doubt be aware of that, and I’m sure his agents want to address the financial gap. This Saudi link—and the kind of money they’ll put on the table—will certainly help in those negotiations.

Then there’s the part you don’t really want to engage with…

Gabriel comes from a working-class background. He played with makeshift balls growing up. Life was tough for a family-oriented player. The opportunity to earn f**k you money might be appealing. In England, £200,000 a week is huge money, but with a 45% tax rate, his take-home pay after deductions is around £106,381 a week. No way around that.

In Saudi, he’d get a golden hello, and his salary would be tax-free as long as he stays in the country for two years. £200k a week, on a four-year deal, is £41.6 million in pure take-home pay. Not every player in the world dreams of Premier League trophies—sometimes, it’s just a job, and family is more important. That kind of money sets you up forever and lets you buy an entire district in the city where you grew up.

This rumor popping up again for the second time might have some legs. Arsenal have been dreadful at selling players—we’ve never moved on a real gem. This summer, we need to get serious about shaping the squad for the future. £100m for Gabriel would give the club significant room to maneuver in the transfer market, raising both the floor and ceiling of the team. The club might also believe they could sign someone equally capable at a lower cost and salary. Imagine a Calafiori without the injuries… or a move for Jorrel Hato. Or even Dan Huijsen from Bournemouth.

My view?

I don’t like the idea of breaking up the best defense in the league and rolling the dice on something unproven. I don’t play football at the highest level, but I’ve watched enough to know that chemistry is just as important as natural ability. Look at the famous Arsenal back five—England managers never rated it as the most talented, which is why it never played together internationally. But as a unit, it was unmatched in 1998 because of familiarity, chemistry, and kinesthetic intelligence.

I think our defense right now has that. Gabriel is more than just a body—he’s the adrenaline in the backline, the tone-setter for aggression, the prime muscle we’ve lacked since Vieira used to own the tunnel. Arsenal aren’t soft, but some players are hard, and Gabriel is our enforcer. Strikers know it.

Matt Kandela asked me last night if I’d sacrifice Gabriel to get Alexander Isak. I wouldn’t. We have the best defense in the league—why mess with it? I don’t want us scoring more goals next season but relying on an injury-prone Italian to fill the gap we created just to cash in a few extra pennies.

The art of selling?

For me, it’s about moving on players with high reputations but declining output. Martinelli is an example—he’d still fetch £60m, and opposition clubs would feel like they’d pulled off a steal. But Arsenal fans wouldn’t be devastated. Same with Trossard—he’s good, but if he left, would anyone lose sleep? That’s £90m for two players, and we haven’t even touched the core of the squad. Add Semenyo and Williams to replace them, and suddenly, we’ve upgraded in terms of physicality.

One last thought…

Maybe Arsenal can’t afford to have £600k a week tied up in defense. Maybe the idea is to bring in someone cheaper to ensure we keep Saliba. Maybe Saka’s new deal means someone else has to go. We can’t give everyone at Arsenal mega money—someone will be the fall guy. I’d rather it be players who aren’t delivering at the highest level. And right now, Trossard and Martinelli—at £300k a week combined—aren’t meeting expectations.

That was a punchy one this week.

If you want to sign up to Le Grove and see what primo content looks like, you can get a 30-day trial now. No ads, access to all locked content, entry into the Discord, and the chance to submit your questions for our weekly Q&As.

Sign up below.