Gabriel Jesus has identified the one player that will be very crucial to Arsenal if the Gunners will stand a chance to win the Premier League title next season.
Speaking on The Denilson Show, the Brazilian striker says Arsenal cannot afford to miss William Saliba as they did towards the end of last season.
Although Jesus also had a significant injury layoff, he believes the team has enough depth in attacking positions.
“When he plays, we concede few goals, when he doesn’t play, the number (goals conceded) increases,” he said.
“When I got injured, Eddie replaced me very well. Then we signed Leo (Trossard). We kept the pace.
“But when Saliba got injured, it was complicated. The other defenders are good, but we were playing in a certain way. Look at the stats we concede a lot less with him.”
William Saliba was injured last season during Arsenal’s Europa League fixture against Sporting Lisbon at the Emirates (Image credit: Getty Images)
The Frenchman had an impressive breakthrough season with the Gunners, following loan spells after joining from Saint-Etienne in 2019.
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Saliba played a crucial role in the team’s strong defense alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, contributing to Arsenal’s unexpected challenge for the Premier League title.
Unfortunately, Saliba’s breakout campaign was cut short in March due to a back injury sustained while playing in the Europa League. As a result, he missed the final 11 games of the season, and Arsenal’s hopes of winning the title dwindled.
Meanwhile, Arsenal will strengthen their squad this summer through aggressive recruitment. The Gunners have agreed to pay £38.5m for the signing of Ajax star Jurrien Timber, who is expected to undergo a medical examination soon.
Additionally, the Gunners aim to secure a £105m transfer for Declan Rice before their pre-season tour of America later this month. They have already completed the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea.
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