Reports: Arsenal set to seal Gabriel Magalhaes signing

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta

Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes has completed his medical and is all set to seal a move to Arsenal, according to The Times.

The Gunners have agreed a fee of £27m with the French club to seal the Brazilian centre-back’s signature and are confident about sealing this transfer. But the report also states that Napoli, who had been competing with Arsenal for Gabriel’s signature, have not yet given up hope of signing the player.

It was reported yesterday that Manchester United had contacted Gabriel’s agent, but The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell has said that United are out of the race. Whitwell said that talks of Gabriel moving to United are only tactics to ensure that Lille can get Arsenal and Napoli to hurry up in completing a deal.

Earlier in the summer, Gabriel was said to have completed a move to Everton, but those talks have now fallen through. Napoli have always wanted Gabriel as their first choice to replace Kalidou Koulibaly, who could be leaving Naples this summer.

The Gunners, though, have always been confident of getting the deal done, owing to the good relations that they have fostered with Lille, especially in the last 12 months, after signing Nicolas Pepe.


Arsenal close in on Gabriel Magalhaes signing

Gabriel in action for Lille
Gabriel in action for Lille

Mikel Arteta has already urged the Arsenal bosses to ensure that there is a good enough budget to bring in new players this summer to continue the progress the Gunners have made under him.

The likes of David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi have been really inconsistent through their tenures as Arsenal players. Even though Arsenal's overall defensive record has improved significantly under Arteta, they still have much room for improvement in that area.

William Saliba will arrive from St. Etienne for the start of the new season. The likes of Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney have been impressive in Arteta's back three set-up, but Gabriel will add both quality and depth to Arsenal's squad in the centre-back area.

Lille President Gerard Lopez has talked up Gabriel, too, over the summer. He said that Gabriel is one of the best young talents all over the continent, and one of the top five centre-backs in Europe during the 2019-20 season.

Gabriel joined Lille from Brazilian club FC Avai in 2017. He was loaned out to French side Troyes AC and Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb in 2018. He has made 52 appearances for Lille, and could now be on his way to Arsenal.

Quick Links

Edited by Sai Teja