Arsenal fans really want this Gabriel Magalhaes deal to be announced.
It was reported by Sky Sports News on Sunday that the Gunners had agreed a £27 million deal with Lille to sign the 22-year-old.
And you need only look on Twitter to see that fans of the Emirates Stadium club are very excited about it – and so they should be.
Not only is Gabriel a very accomplished central defender and one who could and will make Mikel Arteta’s first XI better, but it reduces the pressure on William Saliba in a big way.
Before this Gabriel stuff broke, Saliba was the one expected to lead the increased-reform of a famously-poor Arsenal defence.
The defence has undeniably improved under Arteta, but Saliba, a £27 million signing last summer who the supporters are yet to see in competitive action, was the player charged with the task of bolstering the backline when he arrived.
Thing is, the kid is only 19 and it’s wholly unfair to put such a burden on a young man’s shoulders, but with Gabriel in tow, there is much less pressure and spotlight on the young Frenchman – and it should, in theory, aid his development.
That isn’t to say that the fans and media shouldn’t hold the former Saint-Etienne gem accountable when necessary but, by the same token, they shouldn’t throw him to the wolves if and when he makes mistakes, and that might have been – and often is – the case if another more experienced, big-money signing like Gabriel wasn’t there.
Whether they mean to or not, Arsenal will also be protecting their initial £27 million investment of Saliba by bringing in Gabriel for the same money and it’s a very clever move.
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