Arsenal’s strategy in the transfer market over the past few years has been excellent, which is one of the main reasons they’re seeing success on the field.

Not only are the Gunners now signing players worth their value, but they’ve also become key players in the side, with Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and David Raya all examples of that.

What’s even more impressive is that they’ve been able to keep a lid on player wages, not surpassing the £300k-per-week mark, unlike their top six rivals.

But that doesn’t mean that everyone has justified their salary this season, with one player, in particular, rinsing the club by earning two times more than Gabriel Magalhaes.

What Gabriel earns at Arsenal

Since being partnered by William Saliba, Gabriel has certainly gone to a whole new level this season, to the point where he’s now estimated to be worth £86m as per CIES Football Observatory.

The Brazilian defender is extremely complete, finally managing his aggression and using it to his advantage alongside the more laid-back French defender.

This campaign, the number six has featured in all but two Premier League matches, netting four times and keeping an impressive 12 clean sheets.

Nonetheless, according to Capology, Gabriel earns just £100k-per-week, the lowest wage for a frequent starter in the squad.

This equates to £5.2m-per-season, but it’s half the figure of what an Arsenal man on the fringes earns, who’s nowhere near as influential as Gabriel.

What Thomas Partey earns at Arsenal

The signing of Rice in the summer sent a clear statement to Thomas Partey: his long-term future doesn’t belong at Arsenal.

The Ghanaian has had a horrendous time with injuries since 2020, particularly this season, where he’s missed 26 matches through a groin and a hamstring injury.

This means that the midfielder has only made four starts in the Premier League this term, and when the numbers are broken down, he’s earned £2.6m per start this campaign, which is rather mind-blowing.

Kai Havertz

£280k

Gabriel Jesus

£265k

Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard

£240k

Thomas Partey

£200k

Bukayo Saka

£195k

What may be a surprise is the fact that the 30-year-old earns £200k-per-week, which isn’t only twice as much as Gabriel but higher than Bukayo Saka, Saliba, and Gabriel Martinelli, who are all far more important to the side.

That salary also makes Partey the fifth-highest earner in the entire Arsenal squad, but his performances certainly don’t reflect that when he does actually get on the field.

The former Atletico Madrid star is contracted to the Gunners until 2025; however, it’s highly unlikely that he will be handed a new deal when the current one expires, according to David Ornstein via GiveMeSport.

Given the sheer lack of reliability due to frequent setbacks, the best decision will be to move the number 5 on this summer before he walks on a free at the end of next season.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no real benefit to keeping Partey around, especially while he’s on such a high wage, and Edu Gaspar simply must sell him this summer if the opportunity arises.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.