Opinion: Arsenal already have the perfect central defensive duo at their disposal despite Ben White interest

This summer will be huge for Arsenal in the transfer market, with Mikel Arteta aiming to strengthen his squad ahead of next season’s charge for Champions League football.

The Gunners disappointed many punters checking out the Virgin Bet review at the start of the season and missed out on the coveted European competition last campaign, finishing in eighth place and six points off of the top four.

Given their poor form at times last season and their finish in the table, it is clear that the club need to improve the quality of their personnel.

With the transfer market now open, the club have been linked with a particular centre-back to improve their starting options in central defence.

Arsenal have been extensively linked with a move for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Ben White, who recently earned his first-ever call up to the England national team for Euro 2020.

However, it appears as though, in my opinion, that Arsenal already have the perfect central defensive duo at their disposal in the form of Gabriel and William Saliba.

Brazilian centre-back Gabriel impressed on more than one occasion for the club last season and is currently beginning recovery from a knee injury that has forced him to pull out of Brazil’s 2020 Olympic squad.

He is likely to recover in time for next season and should be their first-choice starter alongside Frenchman Saliba.

The 20-year-old was sent out on loan by the Gunners for the second half of last season to OGC Nice in Ligue 1, in a bid for him to gain further experience in first-team football.

During his six months back in his native France, Saliba formed a formidable partnership with Jean-Clair Todibo, who was also on loan at the club from Barcelona.

His time on loan showed he is clearly a talented youngster with a great physical presence and could easily form a key partnership in central defence with Gabriel when fit.

Despite the club’s interest in White, it would be unwise to spend £50million on such a player when already possessing an abundance of talent in that position already.

Arteta must release that solution to his defensive issues are starring him in the face, and the sooner that Saliba is given his chance in the starting XI alongside Gabriel, the better.

Next season will prove pivotal for the club and their progress under the Spaniard, with him in desperate need of providing results.