Arsenal are pondering the sale of Gabriel Magalhaes amid interest from Italian giants Juventus.
If reports from Italian news outlet Tuttosport are to be believed, Juventus are in the market for defensive reinforcements at the end of the season. They are preparing for life without Giorgio Chiellini and want to sign a top-level centre-back to replace the ageing Italian.
While Juventus’ priority is to sign West Ham United target Nikola Milenkovic, they have identified Gabriel Magalhaes as a potential alternative. The report claims Arsenal are pondering the sale of their star defender despite his top performances this season.
It is a curious report given the fact that Gabriel Magalhaes has become a defensive lynchpin for Arsenal. His partnership with Ben White has made the Gunners one of the best defensive sides in the Premier League, with their collective contributions helping the Londoners emerge as the favourites to seal a top-four finish.
Gabriel has maintained consistency in his performances this term, although the 24-year-old’s struggles with lack of discipline remain one of his glaring weaknesses. But that shouldn’t be reason enough for Arsenal to offload the Brazilian international, who could emerge as a real leader for the club in the years to come.
The only possible explanation could be Arsenal’s ambitious project in the summer transfer window. While Gabriel is undoubtedly a quality defensive option for any side to have, the Gunners have explored the idea of catching a far bigger fish in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Providing they can secure a top-four finish and make their much-awaited return to the Champions League, Arsenal are planning to go big in the transfer market, with at least two new strikers expected to arrive, while a new midfielder and a winger could also be on the agenda. And in order for that to happen, the Gunners might have to offload one or two players from the current roster to generate the necessary funds.
However, given the quality and the level of performances that he has shown this season, Gabriel is more than likely to remain at Arsenal. It might not come as a surprise for Juventus, though, who could shift their focus towards realistic options such as Milenkovic and Borussia Dortmund’s Manuel Akanji.