Arsenal weigh €40m bid for Sporting Lisbon defender Zeno Debast

Arsenal have been offered Sporting Lisbon centre‑back Zeno Debast for around €40 million as William Saliba is confirmed to miss a significant spell on the sidelines, prompting the Gunners to seek an immediate defensive replacement and intensify their transfer activity ahead of the new season.

The offer arrived via intermediaries and is described as the Gunners’ first concrete option to replace the injured defender. It marks the first tangible solution the club has identified since Saliba’s injury was confirmed.

The confirmation of Saliba’s injury has nudged Arsenal’s defensive planning into a fresh phase, leaving a clear gap in the back line. Consequently, the Gunners are compelled to explore alternatives to maintain defensive stability.

Market activity around Arsenal has intensified, with intermediaries putting names forward as the club assesses whether a response is required. According to Caught Offside, one of the players now in the conversation is Sporting Lisbon defender Zeno Debast.

Debast, a Belgium international, is understood to be available for around €40 million, a fee that places him in a more accessible bracket than some of Arsenal’s more established alternatives. This price point aligns with the club’s disciplined summer strategy.

Arsenal have long been familiar with Debast’s profile, having looked at him before and reportedly “have not said no” to his potential availability. That approach mirrors a summer in which the club priced out of Morgan Rogers and rejected a £117 million fee similar to Chelsea’s offer.

If Arsenal decide to act, the move would provide a sustainable reinforcement that fits Mikel Arteta’s system and avoids a rushed, high‑cost signing. For Debast, a transfer would offer a step into the Premier League and the chance to replace Saliba as a regular centre‑back for a club that values measured recruitment.