Arsenal have slapped a £50 million asking price for Gabriel Magalhaes amid interest from Juventus.
According to Independent, Gabriel Magalhaes is facing an uncertain future at Arsenal. The Brazilian is open to leaving Emirates in the summer, although the Gunners won’t make things easy for him to depart. Gabriel has become a defensive lynchpin for Arsenal and the Londoners are not expected to consider offers below the £50 million mark.
Juventus are the club mainly interested in the services of Gabriel. The Bianconeri are targeting the former LOSC Lille starlet as a direct replacement for Giorgio Chiellini, who left the club in the summer after a long and successful stint in Turin. Chiellini’s departure could be followed by the exit of Matthijs de Ligt as well.
The young Dutchman has become a subject of interest for various clubs across Europe. Chelsea and Bayern Munich have considered a move for de Ligt this summer while Manchester City are prepared to splash a hefty amount for the former Ajax starlet.
The possibility of de Ligt’s exit has accentuated the need for a new centre-back for Juventus. While they had targeted a move for Kalidou Koulibaly earlier in the summer, the Senegalese international appears to be on the verge of joining Chelsea.
It has compelled Juventus to look elsewhere and that is where Gabriel Magalhaes comes into the fray. The Brazilian international has been quite an asset for Arsenal over the past 12 months. His defensive combination alongside Ben White has played a key role in helping the Gunners enjoy a relatively positive 2021/22 campaign.
The Londoners are only expected to improve in the coming season, as Gabriel and White look to continue their defensive partnership. However, with William Saliba returning from his successful loan spell at Marseille, it appears Gabriel is considering the possibility of a move away from Emirates, in favour of joining Juventus.
The Brazilian can guarantee himself regular game-time in Turin while he can also participate in the UEFA Champions League, a competition that has eluded him since he joined Arsenal.
While the Gunners’ £50 million price tag is bound to make the job difficult for Juventus, the report suggests the Premier League giants could be open to a player plus cash deal. The Bianconeri have already hatched a creative plan to sign the defender lately, by offering both Adrien Rabiot and Arthur Melo, along with a fee of €30 million.
Arsenal do retain interest in both Rabiot and Arthur, but whether or not they are willing to sign them at the expense of Gabriel remains anyone’s guess at the moment.
