Signing Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille back in 2020 for a fee of around €26m, there’s no denying pulled off a good deal.
The Brazilian is firmly a key part of Mikel Arteta’s plans at the Emirates, having started and completed every single Premier League game this season, taking his appearances in the competition to 14, during which he has scored two goals.
Talk of interest from other clubs were put to rest recently when the Brazilian extended his stay at Arsenal until 2027, showing just how important Arsenal think he is to them.
Their reliance on him is nothing new, as Lille were the same prior to selling him, and the player formed a good partnership with Premier League veteran José Fonte.
The Portuguese defender has played for the likes of Crystal Palace, Southampton and West Ham in England’s top-tier, and he had a lot of nice things to say about the Arsenal player in an interview with La Voix des Sports.
He said: “When I arrived at Lille, I have a chat with Luis Campos about this subject and I ask him to keep ‘Gaby’. I think that he’s an aggressive player. It’s the first required quality when you’re a defender. ‘Gaby’ trained hard. He has a good left-foot, a good mentality.
“Our understanding progressed rapidly. I follow him all the time at Arsenal. I’m very happy to see him play in the Premier League. I have a lot of friendship and respect for him and I think he’s going to continue to have a great career.”
That first part, the bit about Fonte asking Campos to keep Gabriel Magalhaes came at a time when he was struggling to find minutes at Lille and was looking for a way out.
Therefore, some could say that without the defender’s input, the Brazilian might never have developed in the same manner, and might have never signed for the Gunners.
Since signing for Arsenal, the 24-year-old has made 90 appearances in all competitions, scored 10 goals and assisted one more.
