A player who Arsenal tried to sign back in 2020 could secure a massive-money deal this summer.
Two years ago, during the pandemic, the Gunners were linked to signing Wesley Fofana.
According to But Football Club in France, Arsenal were seriously challenging Leicester City to sign the then-Saint Etienne powerhouse.
In the end, the North Londoners signed Gabriel Magalhaes and Fofana wound up joining the Foxes in a £36 million transfer.
Fast forward two years and he could become the most expensive defender in history now.
Chelsea have had a £70 million offer rejected on Tuesday – according to Sky Sports – and this is their third attempt at trying to lure him to Stamford Bridge.
And Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol has revealed to SSN that it’ll take a world-record amount of £80 million to convince City – who have exiled him from the first-team squad – to part company with the 21-year-old defender.
He told Sky Sports: “If they were to sell him it’d take a world-record fee for a centre-back. £80 million and Chelsea still short of that £80 million.”
There won’t be much regret from Arsenal’s side, for missing out on the player.
Gabriel has proven himself an excellent centre-back, forming a brilliant partnership with Ben White last season.
These days, he and William Saliba – a close friend of Fofana – are looking exceptional at the heart of Mikel Arteta’s rearguard.
In fact, it’s almost a badge of honour for Arsenal if he does get the mega-money switch to West London.
It will illustrate that even though Edu failed, he and Arteta were right in wanting to sign the young Frenchman and that’ll only enhance the belief that the Gunners’ duo know what they’re doing on the transfer front.
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