---
title: "Arsenal: Gabriel Magalhaes finally signs for the club"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/arsenal-gabriel-magalhaes-finally-signs-for-the-club/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Seychell"
section: "Arsenal Football Club"
published: "2020-09-02T12:20:09Z"
modified: "2020-09-02T12:20:09Z"
---

# Arsenal: Gabriel Magalhaes finally signs for the club

**Arsenal have finally made a big announcement that fans have been waiting to see as a new defender was unveiled following signing for the club.**

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN-500x300.png)

Arsenal [tweeted](https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1300818227468140556?s=20) out that defender Gabriel Magalhaes has signed for the club from Ligue 1 side Lille. The [22](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/334087/Show/Gabriel) year-old will wear the number six shirt and has signed on a long term deal.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”292862″\]

Manager Mikel Arteta spoke about the Brazilian,[saying:](https://www.arsenal.com/news/gabriel-gunner-defender-joins-arsenal) “We welcome Gabriel to Arsenal. He has many qualities which will make us stronger as a defensive unit and as a team. He has proved with Lille that he is a defender with many outstanding attributes and we are looking forward to watching him grow as an Arsenal player.”

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict-500x300.png)

The centre-back made 30 appearances in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League last season, averaging 3.3 clearances, 1.8 tackles, and 1.2 interceptions per game, via [WhoScored.](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/334087/Show/Gabriel) This is very good showing for someone so young playing at a top level and not only does his age highlight that he has potential to grow even more as a player, it also emphasises that he could become a vital player at the Gunners for many seasons.

This feels like something the North London side definitely need at the back, as David Luiz is [33](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/13/Show/England-Arsenal) and Sokratis, who has been linked to [Napoli](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/12544211/arsenal-sokratis-napoli-kalidou-koulibaly-replacement/) is [32](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/13/Show/England-Arsenal). He is not the only centre-back who could depart as there has been speculation around Shkodran Mustafi’s [future](https://www.givemesport.com/1575150-arsenal-defender-shkodran-mustafi-says-he-could-leave-this-summer#:~:text=Arsenal%20defender%20Shkodran%20Mustafi%20has,an%20interview%20with%20Sport%20Bild.&text=He%20turned%2028%20in%20April,his%20native%20Germany%20this%20summer.) as well as [Rob Holding’s](https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/01/arsenal-defender-rob-holding-close-to-newcastle-loan-move-13205656/) and therefore the signing of Gabriel feels like the start of a new era at the back under Arteta. You still have the vital Premier League experience in Luiz, but he can teach Gabriel a lot and when he moves on, the young defender can take over.

This highlights how good a signing the former Lille man is, and hopefully under the guidance of Arteta, he can become a solid defender who helps push the Gunners further up the division as they only managed to finish [eighth](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table/2019) last season.

***Gunners fans, what are your thoughts on this opinion? Comment below!***