Gabriel Magalhaes did something ‘pretty unheard of’ before joining Arsenal
Gabriel Magalhaes is one of the best defenders in the world right now, but what was the Brazilian’s life like before Arsenal?
It’s hard to imagine Arsenal without Gabriel, who has been at the club since 2020, arriving from LOSC Lille for just £27 million.
Recruited as a fairly unknown player who had yet to be capped by Brazil, Gabriel is now considered unstoppable, being one of the first names on Mikel Arteta’s team sheet.
Arsenal fans are running out of adjectives to describe the centre-back, which was largely the case for Lille fans before his departure.
Gabriel Magalhaes was one of the best even before signing for Arsenal
There was never any doubt about Gabriel’s abilities; However, in his early days at Arsenal, few would have expected the 27-year-old to become what he is.
Now arguably Arsenal and Brazil’s best central defender, nothing can stop the defender, but the French attackers already knew that.
Speaking to Sky Sports in 2020, just before Gabriel’s move to Arsenal, former Lille president Gerard Lopez gave an insight into the level at which the Brazilian was performing.
“I think he’s one of the top five dominant central defenders in Europe right now,” Lopez said.
“His statistics, little disseminated outside France, show that his percentage of victories in duels is quite unprecedented in an extremely physical championship.”
The French side will look at what Gabriel does now at Arsenal with no surprises, as the player’s potential was recognized before the Premier League realized the caliber of defender they were going to receive.
Today, Gabriel is considered one of the best in the world, not only for his pragmatic approach to defense, but also for his goal-scoring ability.
Gabriel’s goal record before joining Arsenal
Although Lille won’t be shocked by Gabriel’s level of production in north London, they probably wouldn’t have anticipated his goalscoring form.
During his two and a half year association with the French club, Gabriel only got on the scoresheet twice in 52 appearances.
| Club | Appearances | Goals |
| LOSC Lille | 52 | 2 |
| Arsenal | 222 | 22 |
Things couldn’t be more different at Arsenal, as the Brazilian has scored 22 times in 222 matches so far, a number which, at this rate, is expected to increase quite significantly.
There are few defenders in world football as powerful as Gabriel at the moment, something Arsenal absolutely appreciate as their mastery of set pieces continues.