Gabriel Magalhaes: Arsenal Fans Sending Me Messages Convinced Me To Join

Arsenal new boy Gabriel praises the relentless messages from the fans…

Arsenal new boy Gabriel admitted that the relentless messages he received online from the Gunners faithful convinced him to join the club, the Brazilian told Arsenal Player.

The 22-year-old’s much-anticipated move from Lille was announced on Tuesday for a reported £27million fee, with the club fighting off competition from the likes of Napoli and Manchester United to secure his signature.

Gabriel’s announcement was made slightly more complicated given that he had to comply with the government-enforced 14-day quarantine period having arrived from France last week.

The former Lille man underwent his medical under strict supervision last Monday, and the formalities of the deal were left to complete.

During that period, Gabriel was heavy on social media and made it clear that he saw all the messages sent through from the Arsenal fans.

“So many fans were sending me messages asking me to join Arsenal, and that played a big part in me signing for this club,” Gabriel said.

“I know the history and traditions of this club and it is a pleasure being here. I am very happy and hope I can contribute to many titles with the Arsenal shirt.

“It was a very surreal experience, there were offers coming from a few different clubs. 

“I spoke a lot with my family and my agents, I also spoke with some of Lille’s directors, but as I said, this club’s history and traditions and the team project for the next few years were very motivational for my decision to come here. 

“So here I am, wearing the Arsenal shirt, I will give my best for it and come on you Gunners!” Gabriel added.

It will be interesting to see if Gabriel’s arrival will allow Mikel Arteta to feel more comfortable in fielding a back-four, something he hasn’t done since the defeat at Brighton in June.

The boss made it clear a few times that he stumbled upon the fluid 3-4-3 system which saw us finish last season strongly, and that it was a short term solution to try and get results.

One imagines that the boss’ business this window will see him return to his favoured 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system.