"I was a lazy player" - Arsenal star says he was often told off by managers for his sulky behavior 

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has revealed that he used to be a very lazy player as a youngster, with managers scolding him for his sulky behavior. The Brazilian defender opened up about his life as a young aspiring footballer in his academy days and said (per the club's official website):

“I always wanted to win. That’s all I wanted when I was a young player. I wanted to win every game and that’s what really motivated me at that age."

He added, admitting his desire to score a lot of goals at a young age:

"I wanted to score in every game, but I wouldn’t say I was a selfish player. Some strikers are selfish, but I also looked for my team-mates too. I have to be honest though, and say I was a lazy player. Yes I was lazy, and also I would sulk quite a lot."

The Arsenal defender further stated:

"My manager would always tell me off for sulking, for being lazy in training. This is maybe why I wasn’t captain! As I said, I was young in my head, but then I grew up. My coaches helped me a lot at that age. I realised how you had to be on the pitch and I changed.”

Gabriel came through Brazilian club Avai FC's youth setup before joining LOSC Lille in 2017. He played for Troyes and Dinamo Zagreb II before joining Arsenal in 2020.

He played an instrumental role in Mikel Arteta's title push last season. The former Lille star started every single one of Arsenal's 38 Premier League encounters during the 2022-23 campaign, helping keep 14 clean sheets.

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"And he didn’t like it" - Rio Ferdinand reveals Arsenal star DM'd him after receiving criticism over his performances

Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand has revealed that Gabriel once privately messaged him last season after the Englishman criticized the Brazilian defender's performances.

Ferdinand stated that the Arsenal star did not take his comments lightly while once again laying into him for being unable to take criticism on the chin. The Englishman said on his YouTube channel (as quoted by The Mirror):

"I said that last year. And he didn’t like it. He DM’d me. In the DM’s. This is a big thing, for me, with players today, they can’t take criticism. Players today, not all of them, I have had quite a few players who have come through their agents."

He added:

"I have said ‘don’t you get your agent to speak to me. You get your player to come and chat to me and I will chat to him, no problem’. Yes, he (Gabriel) come direct to me, which I respect. But, at the same time, I don’t think he saw what I was saying."

Gabriel has featured in three Premier League encounters for the Gunners so far this season. The Brazil international appeared to suffer an injury after he was on the receiving end of a nasty foul on international duty against Bolivia.

However, according to Football.London, the Arsenal defender has been spotted attending training ahead of a clash against Peru on Tuesday (September 12).