Juventus have stepped up their attempt to sign Arsenal’s 24-year-old Brazilian defender Gabriel.
Gabriel Magalhaes has been impressive after displaying strong performances in a mixed Arsenal campaign - who missed out on a Champions League spot on the final day of the season to bitter rivals Tottenham.
Giorgio Chiellini has announced he is leaving Juventus after 17 years and 561 appearances, with a potential move to the MLS leaving the Serie A giants searching for a replacement.
The Mirror report that Juventus have identified Gabriel as the perfect replacement once the left-sided Italian veteran moves on, but the Brazilian is under contract until 2025 so he will demand a large transfer fee if the move does materialise.
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Arsenal signed Gabriel in 2020 from Lille for a fee of £27m on a five-year contract in a bid to shore up their defence. He has been a rock in the Gunners defence this season, making 35 appearances and keeping 13 clean sheets.
The final day of the Premier League season went down to the wire, with Manchester City pipping Liverpool in the title race and Tottenham holding onto the Champions League spot in fourth place over fifth-placed Arsenal. The glamour and pull the Champions League holds means Juventus could persuade Gabriel to push for a move to the Turin-side.
Mikel Arteta has spoken previously about Arsenal’s recent struggle with keeping their stars at the club, and failing to qualify for the Champions League may be a factor in Gabriel weighing up his options.
“Sometimes it is negative because you cannot offer the same competition level as they have been offered, or because you think it is the right moment to make a move. But in principle we want to maintain our best players and keep them and get better.”
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Arsenal will have to battle to keep hold of their 24-year old Brazilian star, and potentially offer an improved deal to extend his contract beyond 2025 to keep his partnership with Ben White at the club.
Topics: Arsenal, Juventus, Giorgio Chiellini, Transfers
Declan Hoskins