Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhães has never hidden his love for Corinthians. The defender has been seen at their games many times, and just last month he was filmed taking the subway to a match in São Paulo.
Like most South Americans, the defender dreams of returning to his country and playing for his favourite side one day. That feeling was now explained by the 26-year-old in an interview with Cartoloucos, with quotes relayed by ESPN Brasil.
Magalhães said that his love story with Corinthians dates back to his childhood.
“Corinthians, that’s since I was born. And today I don’t think it has to be any different. I still go to Corinthians games by train. It’s my dream, I want to play for Corinthians, I want to feel that energy.”
Then, when speaking about when he could possibly play for Corinthians, he said he wants it to happen as soon as possible.
“It’s something to think about. Sometimes I stop and think, ‘Do you dream of playing for Corinthians?’ I do. ‘When would you play for Corinthians?’ For me, I’d be at Corinthians tomorrow. I hope it doesn’t take me long because I want to feel the energy of those fans, who are incredible, as soon as possible.”
There’s perhaps a little exaggeration in Magalhães’ statements, as he’s now living his peak at Arsenal, but that’s something he’ll surely start planning in a few years.
The centre-back is currently with the national team, recovering from a shoulder injury to be fit in time for the Copa América.
A couple of years ago, we saw a similar situation when Willian chose to leave Arsenal to join Corinthians due to his affection for them.
That didn’t go very well, though, as the winger arrived at a tough time and ended up the target of threats. That’s why his spell there didn’t last long, and he soon returned to the Premier League.
