Mikel Arteta has now officially signed a new deal at long last. One that will keep the Spaniard at the Emirates Stadium until the summer of 2027.
Now, with the manager tied down, Arsenal’s focus is turning towards retaining those who have played a major role in that Arteta-led transformation from mid-table mediocrity to bonafide Premier League title challengers.
Arsenal signed Gabriel Magalhaes in a £27 million deal from Lille – who considered him one of Europe’s finest defenders even at the time – four years ago.
Back then, the London giants were coming off a disappointing eighth-place finish with a backline consisting of Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding, David Luiz, Calum Chambers and Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
The Gunners conceded 48 goals that season. Flash forward to the present, and Arteta is now presiding over the division’s most watertight defence.
Gabriel, alongside partner William Saliba, were breached a league-low 29 times as they took the title race down to the final day while earning the admiration of legendary figures such as Nemanja Vidic.
Arsenal's Brazilian defender #06 Gabriel Magalhaes (C) celebrates the first Arsenal goal, later given as an own-goal from Newcastle United's Dutch ...
Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images
Arsenal want to hand Gabriel Magalhaes a new contract
And HITC can confirm that Arsenal are hoping to reward Gabriel for the role he has made in this recent success story by rewarding the Brazil international with a new, long-term contract.
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Gabriel’s current deal runs until 2027.
But with interest from Bayern Munich and Barcelona – the La Liga giants who have a habit of snatching Arsenal’s star performers from Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas to Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit – Arsenal are leaving nothing to chance.
Initial between the club bosses and Gabriel have now taken place. And Arsenal expect that the 26-year-old will have put pen to paper before the end of the calendar year.
Once of Dynamo Zagreb, Gabriel has improved season on season since moving to England. The mistakes that characterised his early Arsenal days have been eradicated, while his natural left-footedness brings real balance to Arteta’s backline.
“Not only his performances, but the way he’s evolving,” the Gunners boss told the official Arsenal website in February when discussing Gabriel’s development over the last few campaigns.
“I think he’s just getting better in every phase of play and everything we demand him to do. His leadership skills, his importance to the team, his mentality as well.
“I think he’s come a long way since he joined the club.”
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While Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are absent – the former suspended due to a red card he picked up against Brighton – Gabriel will be one of the first names on Arteta’s team sheet when Arsenal travel to Tottenham Hotspur for the first North London derby of the season on Sunday.
A win at the home of their arch rivals would be a fine way to celebrate the manager’s new deal.
“I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next,” Arteta said after signing his contract. I’m proud to be where I am and have the relationships that I have with everyone at the club.
“I feel extremely lucky to work every single day with good people and the ambition we have here. I feel very inspired, I feel challenged, I feel supported and I want to do much more than what we’ve already done together.
“Together with the players and everyone at the club, we are looking forward to the coming years, with our supporters, who have emotionally transformed the club and the team. Our supporters have transformed individuals and we are different now.
“You can tell that we are different and for me, that is down to them. We look forward to continuing the journey together.”
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