The Premier League's winter break could not have come at a better time for Arsenal this season, as despite topping the table on Christmas Day, the Gunners have endured a rough couple of weeks that have seen them lose three games in a row to West Ham United, Fulham and Liverpool.
The most significant problem for Mikel Arteta to solve is his team's inability to score goals. That said, their defence, which was so impressive just a month ago, has also looked incredibly fragile in recent weeks.
Now, William Saliba has quickly established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world, and as such, his place in the team is all but guaranteed.
However, it's a different story for Gabriel, especially with Sporting CP's promising Ousmane Diomande recently touted for a move to the club.
Arsenal transfer news – Ousmane Diomande
According to prior reports coming out of Portugal – as per Sport Witness – Arsenal are among several major European clubs interested in acquiring the young Ivorian's signature in 2024.
As per more recent reports from Spain, however, the Gunners are likely to face competition from La Liga giants Real Madrid, who are also weighing up the option of a summer bid.
Alongside the intense competition that Edu and Co will have to deal with, they'll also have to stump up some serious cash to get this deal over the line, with the suggestion being that his current contract has a release clause of €80m – £69m – inserted into it.
While that would be a massive sum of money to spend on a 20-year-old defender, his immense performances in Portugal and enormous potential might just make it a fair deal.
Ousmane Diomande could replace Gabriel as the perfect partner for William Saliba
Now, while the most significant issue facing Arsenal at the moment is undoubtedly their inability to finish their chances – since Christmas, they have taken 63 shots and scored one goal – but the defence has not been at their very best recently either.
For example, the first goal West Ham scored was down to poor communication at the back, while their second, and Fulham's winner a few days later, came from corner kicks and even Liverpool's opening goal came from a free-kick just in front of the corner flag.
Yet, through all of those poor performances, Saliba has remained impressive, while Gabriel has looked shaky – notably proving culpable for the opening goal against the Cottagers, following an 'almighty mix-up' with Oleksandr Zinchenko, as per football.london's Kaya Kaynak.
Even though the former Lille man could come back from the winter break reinvigorated, it could be wise for the club to pursue Diamonde as someone to eventually replace the Brazilian and partner up with the Frenchman in the long term.
So, how do the trio of defenders compare to one another when looking at their underlying numbers? Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, Saliba and the "elite talent" of Diamonde, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, come out ahead of Gabriel in almost every metric.
In fact, the only area in which the former LOSC Lille man stands above his peers is the number of aerial duels he wins per 90, 2.45, and to give him credit, he is significantly more successful in this area of the game than the other two.
Diomande
Gabriel
Saliba
5.42
3.99
4.05
1.18
0.55
0.55
91.0%
86.6%
92.6%
1.45
0.86
0.95
80.9
71.4
86.0
0.97
0.61
0.70
5.97
4.29
6.05
1.94
2.45
1.85
However, when it comes to progressive passes, carries, tackles won, and shot-creating actions per 90, it is the "special" Ivorian, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, who comes out ahead, with Saliba claiming top spot in the remaining essential metrics.
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Ultimately, it might be a lot of money to spend on a young player. It might even be a little harsh on Gabriel, but every detail matters when titles can be decided by a point or two – or even goal difference.
A future partnership between Diomande and Saliba could help the Gunners end their two-decade wait for the title.