Arsenal
Forget it Unai – Arsenal would be better off dropping their interest in this £57.6m star and here’s why
Arsenal opinion: Gunners should drop their interest in Ruben Dias
According to Metro, Arsenal have identified Benfica’s Portuguese international centre-back Ruben Dias as a potential alternative to club captain Laurent Koscielny, who is still unsure about his future at the Emirates.
Metro understands that Koscielny has given Unai Emery a headache by refusing to board the plane for the club’s pre-season tour to the United States, with the report claiming that the 33-year-old Frenchman is keen to leave Arsenal amidst interest from Ligue 1.
The report also claims that Dias, who was on Arsenal’s radar earlier in the summer, is back in the reckoning due to the ongoing problem involving Koscielny, although the Gunners might find it difficult to trigger his mammoth release clause of £57.6million.
However, it has been claimed that Arsenal are hopeful of negotiating a fee lower than the release clause to bring the 22-year-old centre-back to the Emirates this summer.
Arsenal have a summer budget of only £45million after missing out on Champions League qualification for the third successive season. Unai Emery finds himself under pressure to reinforce multiple areas of his squad under such financial constraints.
As per the report, Emery had his sights set on a new left-back and a winger but he might as well have to alter his stance now that Koscielny is looking set to depart.
It is a no-brainer that the Gunners need to bring in defensive reinforcements this summer after conceding 51 goals in the Premier League last season and Benfica’s Ruben Dias can certainly solve a lot of headaches for the club.
The 22-year-old’s consistently impressive displays for Benfica in the Primeira Liga have earned him plenty of plaudits and he is, indeed, one of the best emerging centre-backs in Europe at the moment.
Dias, who recently won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal, has established himself as one of the mainstays of Benfica’s backline since making his debut in the 2017-18 campaign.
The 22-year-old has accumulated a total of 85 appearances for his boyhood club in all competitions till date, whilst also representing Portugal at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia last summer.
To put things into perspective, Ruben Dias is already a defensive beast at 22 and given his obvious talent and massive potential, he will only get better with time.
With that in mind, purchasing the Portuguese centre-back should be an absolute no-brainer for the Gunners but the same cannot be said when the finances involved in the move are taken into consideration.
It is true that Arsenal would desperately have to bring in a replacement if Koscielny leaves this summer, given that Mustafi, Mavropanos and Rob Holding all had different issues to deal with last season.
Sokratis currently looks like the only defender in Arsenal’s ranks to be without any significant problems but the Gunners need to remember that central defence is not the only area that is in dire need of investment. They cannot afford to spend all their budget on bringing one player.
Apart from a centre-back and a left-back, Arsenal need to focus on bringing in replacements for the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck. They have set the ball rolling with the signing of Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli but that’s hardly the solution to their ongoing crisis.
Even if Arsenal manage to pull off an audacious raid on Benfica for Dias, they would possibly end up exhausting all their money on a single player, thus leaving other areas unattended. That won’t be the smartest thing to do and Emery should understand better.
Also, it is highly unlikely that Benfica would agree to sell Dias for a fee below his release clause as they are not under any pressure to part ways with their highly-rated academy product.
The Primeira Liga champions already have a lot of cash in their bank following the sale of Joao Felix to Atletico Madrid this summer and with Dias having several years left to run on his contract, it is hard to see Benfica letting him depart on the cheap.
Not denying the fact that Arsenal would need a new centre-back to cover for Koscielny’s potential departure, the Gunners might as well look for some bargain deals in the market.
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Conclusion
Emery’s knowledge of the European market saw the Gunners land themselves a massive bargain with the signing of Matteo Guendouzi last summer and the Spaniard should look to do something similar this time around.
That said, Arsenal would be better of dropping their interest in Ruben Dias because the transfer doesn’t really look feasible at the moment.
Arsenal Women host Manchester United on Saturday in a crucial six pointer for Champions League qualification. The Gunners sit just one point above United in the WSL table and victory at Emirates Stadium would give them a strong buffer, while defeat leaves them playing catch up in the race for Europe.
The match marks Arsenal’s return from the winter break following a busy week that saw Renee Slegers sign a new contract and Jodie Taylor promoted to Technical Director. However, the immediate focus is on securing three points against Marc Skinner’s side in what promises to be a tense encounter.
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT, Saturday, January 11, 2026
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Cooney Cross Absent For Personal Reasons
Arsenal will be without Kyra Cooney Cross who has returned to Australia for personal reasons. Daphne van Domselaar is not quite ready to return from a quad injury while Chloe Kelly remains out with a knee problem. Jenna Nighswonger will not be in the matchday squad as she negotiates a loan move.
New signing Smilla Holmberg from Hammarby will be in the squad alongside recalled goalkeeper Naomi Williams. Manu Zinsberger and Katie Reid are out with ACL injuries. The absence of Cooney Cross means Mariona will likely drop into the deeper midfield role she has occupied for much of the last year.
United Strengthened in January
Manchester United have been busy in the transfer window, adding full back Hanna Lundkvist from San Diego Wave and centre forward Lea Schuller from Bayern Munich. Skinner was dealt a poor hand over the summer with a very small squad handling Champions League qualifiers and the group phase.
Predicted Lineup:
Arsenal (4-3-3): Borbe; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Mariona, Maanum; Mead, Russo, Smith
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis Joyce; Lundkvist, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti; Park, Malard, Awujo; Schuller
Also read: Arsenal Women disable social media comments after sexist backlash to new signing
Arsenal confirmed on January 9, 2026 that Jodie Taylor has been appointed as the club’s first ever Technical Director.
The 39-year-old former England striker moves up from her existing role as Technical Services Manager, a position she has held since September 2023 following her retirement from professional football.
Taylor’s promotion comes on the same day Arsenal announced Renee Slegers’ new contract extension through 2029, creating a strategic restructuring of the women’s football department.
A Decade Long Arsenal Connection
Taylor’s relationship with Arsenal spans ten years since first joining as a player in 2016. She scored 10 goals in 17 appearances during her initial spell before returning on a short-term deal in March 2023. Taylor earned 50 plus England caps during her international career and won the Golden Boot at Euro 2017.
She represented her country at the 2015 Women’s World Cup finishing third and played for multiple elite clubs including Lyon, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns and San Diego Wave throughout her career.
Strategic Structural Development
Taylor’s new role bridges critical areas of football operations including recruitment, analysis, coaching and performance support. She will work closely with Renee Slegers on a daily basis as the Technical Director, providing structural support for coaching decisions and squad development.
Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley praised Taylor’s appointment as integral to continued development of the program as Arsenal challenges for major trophies consistently. Wheatley will now focus on upward management across UEFA, FIFA and domestic boards while Taylor handles day to day operations.
Building a High Performance Environment
Taylor expressed immense pride stepping into her new position, emphasizing Arsenal’s remarkable growth over the past decade. She committed to nurturing a high-performance environment where players, coaching staff and support teams have the right tools to deliver at the highest level.
Her appointment represents investment in female leadership within Arsenal’s technical infrastructure, aligning with the club’s commitment to developing their women’s program systematically and strategically moving forward into their next phase.
Also read: Arsenal Women disable social media comments after sexist backlash to new signing
Arsenal confirmed on January 9, 2026 that head coach Renee Slegers has signed a new long-term contract extending through the summer of 2029.
The 36-year-old Dutch coach was previously due to exit at the end of the 2025-26 season but now commits three and a half additional years to the club. Her extension rewards an extraordinary debut season where she guided Arsenal to historic UEFA Women’s Champions League victory after beating Barcelona 1-0 in the Lisbon final.
From Academy Player to Champions League Winner
Renee Slegers’ connection to Arsenal dates back decades. She played in the club’s academy as a teenager and watched Arsenal claim their previous Champions League trophy in 2007 from the stands. Her return to the club came in summer 2023 as assistant coach following two years leading Swedish club Rosengard where she won back-to-back Damallsvenskan titles.
She stepped into the interim role in October 2024 when Jonas Eidevall departed and impressed immediately with an 11-match unbeaten run. That performance earned her permanent appointment in January 2025, and by May 2025 she had delivered historic Champions League glory.
Arsenal’s Long-Term Vision
Slegers told club media that her journey from academy player to Champions League winning head coach represents immense pride. She stated the club has much to achieve together in the coming seasons. Arsenal Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley described Slegers as an elite coach with capabilities to lead continued title challenges.
Chief Executive Richard Garlick praised her impact driving standards and progress toward consistent top-level competition.
Jodie Taylor Joins as Technical Director
The announcement accompanied confirmation that former England international Jodie Taylor has been appointed Arsenal’s first ever women’s technical director. Taylor, who retired in 2023 after two Arsenal playing spells, will work closely with Slegers on recruitment, analysis and specialisation. Her role bridges previously disconnected recruitment and technical departments creating stronger operational cohesion.
Arsenal continues their title defence facing Manchester United on January 11 with five trophies remaining in play this season.
Also read: Arsenal star Kyra Cooney-Cross returns to Australia after mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis
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