Arsenal’s 4-1 victory over Aston Villa once again highlighted the immense importance of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães. The duo reunited as starters for the first time in over a month, delivering a flawless performance capped by a goal from Gabriel. According to Opta, in the five Premier League matches prior to this where the pair started and played the full 90 minutes, Arsenal maintained a perfect record with five wins and five clean sheets. This partnership has undeniably become the most critical component of Mikel Arteta’s tactical setup.

What makes this defensive pairing even more remarkable is the shrewd business behind their arrivals. Arsenal signed both players for approximately €300 million each (roughly £27 million)—Saliba from Saint-Étienne in 2019 and Gabriel from Lille in 2020. Today, they are regarded as one of the most reliable center-back duos in world football. Their market values have skyrocketed to reflect this status: Saliba is currently valued at €90 million, while Gabriel has reached €75 million, bringing their combined market worth to a staggering €165 million.

Their individual journeys at the Emirates have been paths of steady growth and high impact. Saliba, after several successful loan spells in France, returned in the 2022-23 season to become a cornerstone of the defense, tallying 7 goals in 153 appearances for the club. Gabriel has been equally productive, establishing himself as a goal-scoring threat from set-pieces with 23 goals in 229 matches. As Arsenal continues its title charge, the "60-million-euro bargain" remains the bedrock of the team's success.