Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has recently tweeted that Manchester United are trailing Arsenal in the race to land LOSC Lille defender Gabriel Magalhães this summer. It is believed that both the Red Devils and Paris Saint-Germain have gotten in touch with the player’s representatives, but the Gunners are the favourites to acquire the services of the Brazilian centre-half who is available for £22m during this summer transfer period.
Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United have been in touch with Gabriel's representatives today. Lille centre back available for £22m. Arsenal favourites to sign him. Napoli trying to convince him to join them with last minute offer
— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) August 20, 2020
Gabriel’s Growth And Maturity In The Ligue 1 Last Season
The 22-year-old experienced one of the best seasons of his young career at Lille in the previous campaign as he starred as a key component in the middle of Christophe Galtier’s defence. He was involved in 34 matches for the French outfit in the last term, scoring one goal and receiving six yellow cards for them on all fronts.
On the defensive end, Gabriel was a dominant force for his team in Europe based on his average of 2.0 tackles, 2.2 interceptions and 3.7 clearances per match in the UEFA Champions League last season. However, there is no denying that he needs to take care of the ball better as evident from his pass completion rate of 75.8% in European football (stats via whoscored).
The Sao Paulo-born youngster’s excellent defensive contributions helped Lille clinch a fourth-placed finish in the latest edition of the Ligue 1 which has made him such a fan-favourite at the Stade Pierre Mauroy. He has the ceiling to become a world-class centre-back in the future, so the Red Devils will do well to win the transfer scramble for his services this summer.
What Are The Brazilian Defensive Ace’s Best Attributes?
Standing at 1.90m, Gabriel is a towering presence inside his penalty area and excels at clearing his lines when being bombarded by the opposition’s crosses and through-balls from the wide areas. He is often quick to scan the danger, which enables him to get into the right positions to earn the ball back for his side. Plus, the Brazilian sensation can also play as a defensive midfielder if needed. Thus, his versatility could make him such a useful squad player for any top-flight club across Europe.
Should The Red Devils Launch A Move For Gabriel In This Off-Season?
Victor Lindelof’s on-the-field shortcomings were on full display in the UEFA Europa League semifinal showdown versus Sevilla where Man United conceded two cheap goals on their way to bowing out of the competition earlier this month. Subsequently, Harry Maguire was recently arrested by the Greek authorities and is set “to be charged with aggravated assault” which has put his long-term future at Old Trafford in doubt.
Hence, Man United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to find a solid centre-back like Gabriel this summer so that he can build a strong defence capable of eradicating their poor defensive mistakes from last season. With all things considered, the Red Devils should table an offer for the Lille defender as he will add some much-needed stability to their backline and could become a future starter at the Theatre of Dreams.
