Arsenal target Gabriel Magalhaes scores incredible training goal
Arsenal will be getting a “hard-working” and “no-nonsense” defender if they beat Manchester United to the signing of Lille star Gabriel Magalhaes, according to French football expert Julien Laurens. Arsenal were thought to be closing in on the signing of Gabriel after agreeing an initial fee of £22million for the centre-back. However, United have made a last-ditch attempt to sign the Brazilian.
Arsenal transfer news: Julien Laurens has explained what Arsenal could expect from Gabriel Magalhaes (Image: GETTY)
"Not too expensive, €30m, £27m, who is really hard-working, listens, is intelligent, no-nonsense, no fancy stuff. I think he's very efficient, certainly he was at Lille.”
Arsenal are set to welcome William Saliba into the first-team squad after the Frenchman spent last season back on loan at Saint-Etienne following his £30m transfer to the Emirates.
Laurens can see Gabriel and Saliba in a back three alongside David Luiz under Mikel Arteta.
He added: “I really think if you've got Saliba on one side, Gabriel on the other side, and you've got David Luiz as a sweeper in that back three, I think this is very good from Arsenal's point of view.
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"Listen, defensively this club has had issues for the last 10 years, since Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure.
"[You play Luiz] to give Saliba and Gabriel a bit more solidity, certainly to start with. A back three is more solid than a back four.
"And I think then if Saliba and Gabriel look really strong, you can move back to a four very easily and I think you'll have a very solid base at the back which I think is what they're looking for."
Meanwhile, Laurens says Arsenal are interested in Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar and reckons the Gunners are heading in the right direction.
"Houssem Aouar from Lyon, they've tried already to put a foot in there with Lyon," Laurens said.
"Arteta is a huge fan and so is Edu.
"I think they're building something interesting. Whether you like it or not, I think this is promising."
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