A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as William Gallas divulges his honest thoughts about William Saliba and the Gunners warm to selling one of Mikel Arteta’s signings.

Jens Lehmann is ‘disappointed’ with Mikel Arteta for Arsenal’s Champions League exit

Highbury icon Jens Lehmann admits that he is ‘very disappointed’ with Mikel Arteta for how Arsenal bowed out of the Champions League to Bayern Munich. The Gunners succumbed to a 3-2 defeat on aggregate in the quarter-finals after they endured a 1-0 loss away in Bavaria.

Goals by Bukayo Saka (12’) and Leandro Trossard (76’) on either side of Serge Gnabry (18’) and Harry Kane (32’) scoring left the match level after the first leg. But Arsenal did not find a way past Manuel Neuer in a cagey second leg Joshua Kimmich (63’) swung in FCB’s favour.

Lehmann, who helped Arsenal reach their only Champions League final yet in 2005/06, also took issue with how Arteta set his side up at Bayern Munich. He even feels the lack of more silverware in Arsenal’s trophy cabinet is holding them back from becoming a ‘big club’ again.

“He’s done a good job but, unfortunately, you’re talking to a guy who loves Arsenal, wants them to win and not just to be up there,” Gunners icon Lehmann has told the Daily Mail.

“I was very disappointed with how they lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League… Afterwards, they showed a great reaction beating Chelsea and Tottenham. But to be a big club, you have to win trophies.”

Arsenal are willing to sell Gabriel Jesus in a summer transfer

Arsenal are now willing to sell Gabriel Jesus in the upcoming summer transfer window. That is according to The Athletic, which reports that Emirates Stadium chiefs will listen to any bid submitted for the striker. He is no longer an automatic pick and his injury record is alarming.

Jesus has missed 13 of Arsenal’s 49 games across all competitions so far this term after two aggravations of the knee injury he sustained at the 2022 World Cup, plus a hamstring injury. Yet, despite playing in 33 fixtures, he has only scored eight and assisted seven goals so far.

Mikel Arteta, who pushed for Jesus in a £45m transfer from Manchester City in July 2022, has even only started the Brazilian 21 times. So, with Kai Havertz scoring seven and assisting six goals in his 15 outings as a centre-forward, Arsenal feel they can consider selling Jesus.

William Gallas thinks William Saliba is ‘the best’ defender in the Premier League

William Gallas thinks Arsenal star William Saliba has been ‘the best’ defender in the Premier League this term. The 23-year-old has played an instrumental role in Mikel Arteta’s backline in north London and has helped the Gunners post the top-flight’s best defensive record, too.

No player has recorded more minutes of top-flight football at Arsenal than Saliba has so far with 3,150. He and Declan Rice are also the only players that Arteta has started in all 35 of their matches. But Rice has featured for 2,961 minutes having been subbed off eight times.

Saliba has further helped Arsenal to concede just 28 times, with Manchester City ranking in second with 32 goals allowed in 34 games. The Gunners have also recorded 16 clean sheets to head the top-flight. So, Gallas would name Saliba as the Premier League’s best defender.

He said, via quotes by Chris Wheatley: “I will put William Saliba as the best defender in the Premier League this season.”

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