A concerned Ian Wright reckons the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel and William Saliba could leave Arsenal if silverware continues to evade them.
The Gunners have come up just short in the Premier League title race in the last two season and are currently six points behind Liverpool, with the league leaders also having a game in hand on Mikel Arteta‘s side.
Arsenal are also out of both domestic cups after losing to Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday. That means the Premier League and the Champions League are now Arteta’s only chance of landing a trophy this season.
The Spaniard won the FA Cup back in 2020 but the pressure could build on him if Arsenal end another season without a major trophy. And Wright has concerns that could leave Arsenal in a difficult spot with some of their top stars.
THE FA CUP GIANT KILLERS: Get your special edition magazine celebrating some of the game’s greatest-ever upsets
“We have to start thinking about Gabriel [Magalhaes], [William] Saliba and Saka. After this season, they’ve got two years [on their contract] left,” he said on his Wrighty’s House podcast.
“Even if Arsenal say to you, ‘Listen we want to start talking to you’, with a World Cup coming, managers and agents are going to say, ‘We just want to focus on our game now, trying to make sure we’re in great form for the World Cup’.
Wright then referenced the ongoing issue Liverpool have with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk all due to become free agents at the end of the season.
He continued: “Those guys are [then] going to be into the last year. We’re going to have a situation like Liverpool have got now.
Join the debate! What signings do Arsenal need this month? Let us know here
“How long before their management teams say, ‘We need to see the ambition of this club’? Do any of those players want to end up not winning anything because the way it’s going at the moment…”
Wright believes one way Arsenal can get ahead of such a potential issue is simple: spend in the January transfer window to bolster their title bid.
He added: “They have to spend now! They need to do some unbelievable business in the summer. As good as I think [Mikel] Merino and [Riccardo] Calafiori have been, I’m not sure they’re the calibre of player that’s going to make Saliba, Gabriel or Saka stay. They need to bring a player or players in that makes them say, ‘F**k, these guys are serious’.
“Someone like [Jamal] Musiala. That is the kind of player that will make Saka, Gabriel or Saliba take notice. And the reason why Musiala would think about it is because of who’s there now.”
Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read ourPrivacy Notice.
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Can Arsenal challenge for the title? Get your latest Gunners news with our FREE daily email newsletter
