Real Madrid ‘desire’ Arsenal star ‘impossible’ to sign; Arteta ‘won’t consider’ sale below £80m
Real Madrid are keen on completing the ‘impossible signing’ of Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, according to reports in Spain.
Gabriel has been one of the best central defenders in the Premier League over the last two-and-a-half years.
He joined Arsenal from French side Lille for around £24million in September 2020 and is now worth at least four times that amount.
The Brazilian’s defensive partnership with William Saliba is one of the best in the world and was a huge reason why Mikel Arteta’s side hit 89 points in the Premier League last term.
Arteta has created an outstanding spine in the Gunners team with Declan Rice in front of the two colossal centre-backs, but Real Madrid are reportedly eager to break the said spine.
Gabriel to Real Madrid? Arsenal sale deemed ‘impossible’
According to reports in Spain, the signing of Gabriel is deemed ‘impossible’ yet is ‘desired’ by the European champions.
Bosses at the Bernabeu believe the 26-year-old ‘would be the perfect signing’ but would cost a ‘very high price’ due to Arsenal’s reluctance to sell.
Indeed, Gabriel’s form ‘has not gone unnoticed at Real Madrid’ but any approach ‘seems destined to fail, as the Gunners consider their player non-transferable’.
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Valued at ‘around 75 million euros’ (£62.1m), it is believed that the Premier League giants ‘won’t consider’ entering negotiations for a fee ‘less than 100 million euros’ (£80m), which still might not be enough for Arteta to break up his dominant centre-back partnership.
The report adds:
Arsenal’s stance responds to their ambition to continue competing at the highest level both in the Premier League and in Europe. Gabriel Magalhaes is a fundamental pillar in Mikel Arteta’s schemes and his contribution goes beyond the numbers, being a reference both on and off the field. This commitment to his sporting project makes his departure practically impossible at this time.
For Real Madrid, who are looking to strengthen their defense with an elite player, Gabriel would be the ideal signing. However, Arsenal’s firmness makes this operation an unattainable dream, at least in the short term. The Brazilian’s quality will continue to shine in London, where he is an icon of the team’s strength.
Gabriel came off at half-time in Sunday’s 5-2 win at West Ham after scoring his side’s opening goal at the London Stadium.
His availability is unclear as Arsenal host Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United in the Premier League on Wednesday.
Gabriel did give Arsenal fans hope he would featur e on social media, posting after the West Ham victory the message “see you Wednesday”.
Meanwhile, Riccardo Calafiori’s substitution versus the Hammers was precautionary, Arteta confirmed in his pre-match press conference.
“Well, he’s been dealing with little niggles in the last few weeks, obviously, he’s had a very serious knee injury and he’s doing really well but we have to manage his minutes,” Arteta explained.
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