Real Madrid might look to sign Brazilian star Gabriel Magalhaes from Arsenal to cover for the absence of the injury-stricken Eder Militao.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Gabriel Magalhaes is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. And the Merengues want to sign the Arsenal defender to cover for the absence of Eder Militao. But the 25-year-old does not want to leave the North London club despite losing his spot at the start of the 2023/24 season.
Gabriel Magalhaes has come leaps and bounds since joining Arsenal from LOSC Lille in September 2020. The North London club paid £27 million, including add-ons, to sign the Brazilian ace. And he was a mainstay at the back for the Premier League heavyweights in his first three seasons at the Emirates.
But the 2023/24 campaign has begun slowly for the 25-year-old, who has started the first two Premier League games on the bench. And he has managed only 24 minutes of game time in those outings thus far. So Gabriel’s Arsenal future is uncertain, with recent reports linking him with a summer departure.
Gabriel Magalhaes, not for sale as reported yesterday – despite links with Saudi side Al Ittihad ?⚪️ #AFC
Arteta confirms: “Out of the starting XI due to offers? Nothing at all, it was just about games that we were expecting… trust me, Gabriel is gonna play a lot of games”. pic.twitter.com/hAZ9VSZxpm
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 22, 2023
Reports last week suggested that clubs from the Saudi Pro League have been keeping tabs on his situation at Arsenal. But those outfits might become secondary options in the wake of the latest development. And the newly out-of-favour centre-back has emerged as a target for Real Madrid.
The Merengues have lost Eder Militao to a long-term injury after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the season-opening fixture. With the Brazilian international on the sidelines, Carlo Ancelotti has only two dependable centre-backs at his disposal. But the Real Madrid manager cannot depend on only Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba for the entire season.
So it behoves Real Madrid to invest in a cover for the injury-stricken Eder Militao. And the Brazilian international’s compatriot Gabriel Magalhaes has emerged as a target for Los Blancos. But the 25-year-old does not want to leave Arsenal anytime soon despite losing his spot to players like Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Recent reports have also linked Real Madrid with Aymeric Laporte. But the Manchester City centre-back is on the verge of joining Al-Nassr. But with Gabriel keen on remaining at Arsenal, it will be interesting to see if Real Madrid will identify another alternative to bolster Ancelotti’s central defensive options.
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