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Louis SealeyPublished Jun 5, 2024, 6:48pm|Updated Jun 5, 2024, 6:49pm
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes says he would join Brazilian side Corinthians ‘tomorrow’ as he expressed his love for the club he supported as a child.
Gabriel has been one of Arsenal’s most important players since his £27m move from Lille in 2020 and featured in all but two of the Gunners’ Premier League games last season.
The 26-year-old has formed a superb centre-back partnership with William Saliba, helping Arsenal concede just 29 goals last season, five fewer than champions Manchester City.
Gabriel made his 150th appearance for Arsenal earlier in the season and appears to have many more years at the club ahead of him, though he admits he wants to play for Corinthians one day.
He has regularly been spotted at Corinthians games and was filmed taking public transport to a match in Sao Paulo last month.
‘Corinthians, that’s since I was born,’ Gabriel said when discussing his love for the Brazilian club. ‘And today I don’t think it has to be any different.
‘I still go to Corinthians games by train. It’s my dream, I want to play for Corinthians, I want to feel that energy.’
Asked whether he can see himself at Corinthians, Gabriel added: ‘It’s something to think about.
‘Sometimes I stop and think, “Do you dream of playing for Corinthians?” I do. “When would you play for Corinthians?” For me, I’d be at Corinthians tomorrow.
‘I hope it doesn’t take me long because I want to feel the energy of those fans, who are incredible, as soon as possible.’
Gabriel is contracted to Arsenal until the summer of 2027 and will look to help the Gunners go one better and finally win the Premier League next season after back-to-back second-place finishes.
Manager Mikel Arteta is determined to lead Arsenal to their first Premier League title in over 20 years and says his players ‘want much more’ following two impressive but ultimately disappointing title challenges.
‘Every decision we’re going to make is to be better, without losing who we are and everything that is taking us in the position that we are now as a football club, as a team,’ Arteta said earlier this week.
‘The ambition is there. The players, the staff. You can sense it. They want much more. They want to start lifting trophies and that’s the next step.’
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