Arsenal are looking to fend off interest in one of their key players
Mikel Arteta has the task of keeping his star man(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arsenal are rushing to tie down a key member of the squad down to a new contract amid interest from Spanish giants, according to reports.
The Gunners head into the new campaign looking to finally overcome Manchester City in the title race, having run a close second in each of the last two seasons under manager Mikel Arteta.
The Spaniard has created one of the most impressive squads in the world over his tenure, with a mixture of shrewd signings, redeveloping misfits and some seriously talented academy graduates. However, as silverware continues to elude the impressive North London outfit, speculation begins to grow around a number of key players linking them to moves away in the near future.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has build a squad capable of challenging for the title (Image credit: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Real Madrid have regularly been linked with William Saliba over the past 12 months, however, it is his partner who appears to be the focus of Spanish attention at the moment.
According to HITC, Barcelona are waiting in the wings ready to move for Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes, sparking the Gunners to prepare talks to tie him down to the club.
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The Catalan giants are joined by Bayern Munich as interested parties, although the report claims that the Arsenal hierarchy will work to tie the 26-year old down in the coming weeks having recently extended Arteta's contract.
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Gabriel's current deal is due to expire in 2027, giving the Gunners plenty of leeway, although it is thought that a new long-term deal on improved terms would put an end to any speculation linking him with a move away. The Brazilian is valued at €70 million by Transfermarkt.
Gabriel is wanted by Barcelona (Image credit: Getty Images)
Elsewhere, the club continue to ponder over the futures of midfield duo Jorginho and Thomas Partey, both of whom will be free to leave this summer unless new deals are penned before the end of the season.
In FourFourTwo's view, tying Gabriel down to a new long-term deal is an absolute no brainer. An imperious presence at the back, the Brazilian is one of the biggest factors in the club's recent rise from relative obscurity to European elite and will be near enough impossible to replace should he ever depart. Believed to be earning around £100,000 per week, the defender has surely done enough to be competition with the top earners at the club in the near future.
James Ridge is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He recently spent time with The United Stand as an online news editor and has covered the beautiful game from England’s eighth tier all the way to the Premier League.
