flobaba

In that case - the best option would be Gabriel + Isak or Wirtz instead of Isak and Wirtz in place of Gabriel while bringing in Guehi or moving White/Calafiori inside which will be a significant downgrade.

We need our CB's to physically dominate all situations given how often they defend 1 vs 1 in large spaces. White and Calafiori will get cooked in those situations as neither are physically exceptional. A guy like Mateta will give these boys a nightmare, let alone someone like Haaland or Isak who will thrive against our defence without our man mountain.

I can't believe people would turn down Isak and Wirtz in place of Gabriel. The Brazilian has been immense for us over the years but he isn't crucial to our build up play (those sort of defenders are harder to replace IMO). I think everyone acknowledges having a striker like Havertz improves us defensively but I don't think enough credit is given to the importance of defenders to the attack. Liverpool are a better attacking team than us in part because they have defenders like Trent and Van Dijk who regularly ping passes that bypass the midfielders into the final 3rd. They generate a lot of high quality chances as a result.

Stylistically Tomiyasu is the closest to Gabriel in our squad and without the ball, he's probably as good as anyone we have got but he's always injured (maybe the surgery will now resolve the issues with his knee?). There are trade offs with the other options we have: Calafiori would improve us offensively but will leave us weaker defensively. Timber is better than Gabriel under pressure which is great against high pressing teams and is at least as good 1 v 1 but we'll be weaker in the air. I must add though we nearly won the league with Toure-Gallas, so Saliba-Timber could do just fine. And of course we can also go out and sign a new defender.

To be clear, I wouldn't sell Gabriel if we were just offered cash and there are no guarantees we'll get Wirtz and Isak. The money would look good on the balance sheet but trophies are won the pitch. However if I was Mikel, and was offered such a deal, I'd take it and set the team up differently. I'd go 3 at the back and play both saka and Wirtz as inside forwards. Atlanta and Leverkusen has shown you can still have an effective high press with 3 at the back.

-------------------Isak
-----------Wirtz-----------Saka--------
MLK---------Rice-------Ode-------White
---------Cala-----Saliba----Timber------
------------------Raya

I believe Saka could even be more productive in an inside forward role, closer to goal. He is not like Salah who starts out wide and makes frequent runs in behind. With his current role, he always has so much to do even after skinning 1 or 2 players, that wouldn't be the case if he playing closer to goal in an inside forward role. His numbers could explode IMO.

Havertz are Nwaneri are also probably best off the main striker and they would be high quality options off the bench.

Tactics I can't believe people would turn down Isak and Wirtz in place of Gabriel.

I can't believe anyone thinks that’s a real choice.

USArsenal We will NEVER get back what we paid for any of these players.

Which is why I'd be more than happy if we got close to anything resembling it. Just pointing out there are levels to this. Mine are

Tier 1- Don't sell at any cost unless absolutely forced:

Saka, Gabriel, Saliba.

Tier 2 - Sell only for an absolutely monstrous offer:

Rice, Nwaneri, MLS (though these last two may soon be in tier 1) Odegaard, White, Raya, Timber, Martinelli

Tier 3- Sell for a decent offer:

Calafiori, Trossard, Havertz, Merino, Kiwior.

Tier 4 - Sell if we can break even or anything we'dbe able to get for them:

Zinchenko, Jesus, Tomi, Vieira, Tavares, Lokonga, Nelson

Tier 5 - Out of contract frees or get rid at any cost even if we have to pay them off:

Partey, Jorginho (though I'd like to extend one of the two if possible), Tierney, Marquinhos, Sterling (luckily he'll be gone in a few months).

Claudius

Exactly, whatever insane fee you might think we'd be getting for Gabriel, you can bet Wirtz and Isak will cost more individually.

Big Willie I think I've said it before that I wasn't sold on the signing after watching some of his videos in France. In them he was diving in constantly to win the ball in contrast to Saliba who at the time still on loan was winning his tackles without going to ground. I thought he'd be a red card magnet playing for us if he played the same way but he times everything he does so well that I was won over within a few months.

Can't remember him ever being sent off for us so I was completely wrong and he's ended up being one of my favourite players at the club.

He has been, at least twice, against Southampton (COVID season) and Manchester City (the game we lost 2-1 at the Emirates when Martinelli should have had a hat trick) but that isn't to detract from your general point.

In fairness, I think that when we refer to "people" talking up Kiwior over big Gabi, we actually just mean Dula. And we all know Dula likes a big call.

Anyway, madness to sell him, unless we get a ”Godfather" offer. If Van Dijk was worth £75m to Liverpool 7 years ago, how much for Big Gabi now?