According to a recent report by French news source Le10Sport, Premier League giants Arsenal are said to still strongly be in the race to sign Lille’s prodigious Brazilian centre-half Gabriel Magalhaes this summer. The report suggests that the Gunners are expected to make ‘concrete advances’ in the coming weeks and that their main rival for his signature – Everton, are yet to come to an agreement with the club. The report suggests that the Ligue 1 side will be forced to offload at least one or two first-team names this summer, to simply balance the books for the year.
With Arsenal set to battle Everton for Gabriel Magalhaes, the onus now falls onto the shoulders of Carlo Ancelotti to try and get this deal over the line in the coming months. While Arsenal are said to have been keeping tabs on the Brazilian for a few weeks now, Everton’s interest long surpasses that. Moreover, it has been suggested that the main reason why the Toffees don’t have a deal in place is the French side’s rather exorbitant €30m asking price.
What Is Everton’s Current Defensive Situation?
The Toffees are one of the multiple Premier League outfits who’ve invested a large amount of money into the transfer market over the last couple of seasons. For all the good additions they’ve made, defence remains an alarming issue. Ancelotti currently has just three recognised centre-halves to choose from in his side, with veteran full-back Seamus Coleman often being utilised as a fourth option. The addition of a natural central defender this summer could boost their chances of fighting for Europe next season.
In Yerry Mina and Michael Keane, the Toffees boast two strong defenders who both have their fair share of experience as well. Their third option in the role is 23-year-old Mason Holgate, who for as good as he’s been, does need to improve on consistency. The acquisition of a strong and physically dominant centre-half would go a long way for the Merseyside club next season, as three is simply an unacceptable number of natural central defenders for a proper team like Everton.
What Would Gabriel Bring To Goodison Park Next Season?
The 22-year-old has been one of the most talked-about defenders in the world this season, and with good reason. The Lille man has been in excellent form all campaign, and he even put up good performances in their Champions League group stage encounters with Premier League outfit Chelsea.
The big man stands at over 1.9m tall and has participated in 24 Ligue 1 fixtures this season, and this is without counting the ten he made across the various other competitions. The former Avai academy graduate is a brilliant header of the ball, and he isn’t afraid to use his physicality in an effective manner.
Arsenal Set To Battle Everton For Gabriel Magalhaes: Ancelotti Must Win This Race
For all the money that this Everton side has spent over the last two transfer windows, it’s safe to say that the results they’ve produced have been extremely underwhelming. While there is an urgent need for strikers at Goodison Park, adding another centre-half would also go a long way for Ancelotti’s side.
Gabriel has proven with his exploits this season that he’s got what it takes to develop into a top defender in a short time, and the Merseyside club should try and do everything in their power to convince the Brazilian to choose Liverpool over London this summer.
