Arsenal Set to Reward Gabriel Magalhaes With a Contract Extension

According to CBS Sports, Arsenal have made up their mind to honour the two impressive seasons of Gabriel Magalhaes with a new contract. He has been very influential in improving Arsenal and helping them reach the fourth spot after finishing eighth in the last two seasons. Moreover, he has the potential to be a long-term defender at Arsenal and create one of the best defensive partnerships in the Premier League with Ben White.

Arsenal have kept the third-most clean sheets in the Premier League i.e. 13 clean sheets only behind Liverpool and Manchester City. Out of those 13 clean sheets, Gabriel has been a part of 12 clean sheets out of 25 appearances, with him starting in all of them. This shows how crucial he has been for Arsenal and how far the Arsenal defence has come.

Gabriel Magalhaes celebrating for Arsenal, Gabriel, Arsenal — Image obtained via HITC

Arsenal have come roaring back after a disappointing start to the season. They are now the favourites to finish fourth in the league with major bookmakers and online casinos offering Arsenal the best odds of securing Champions League next season. Gabriel Magalhaes has developed a very good partnership alongside Ben White and has helped them get very important results this season. The duo is capable of continuing to do so in the long term.

Does Gabriel Deserve A Contract Extension with Arsenal?

Arsenal have played a total of 28 matches in the Premier League out of which Gabriel has started 25 of those matches. He plays 88 minutes per game on average and was also included in the Team of the Week once. Despite playing as a centre-back, his distribution of the ball is one of his key attributes. That is probably the reason why Arsenal like to build from the back.

Gabriel makes 1.3 tackles and 3.3 clearances per game. He also attempts 2.6 long balls per game with an 88.6 passing success percentage (stats via whoscored). Gabriel is also a big threat in the box during set-piece situations. He has got himself three goals in the Premier League this season from set-pieces.

Gabriel Magalhaes playing for Arsenal, Gabriel, Arsenal — Image obtained via Metro

The 24-year-old Brazilian is very quick and capable of catching up to the attackers. Despite his huge build of 6 feet 2 inches, he still has the pace to stop opponents from running past him. He is comfortable in switching roles and can adapt to the role of either a proactive centre-back or a reactive centre-back. This has been key in keeping the impressive clean sheet run going in the Premier League this season.

How Can Arsenal Get The Best Out Of The Brazilian?

Gabriel is experiencing his peak form at Arsenal right now and the North London side have been very lucky to have secured his services earlier. If Gabriel had stayed at Lille a little longer while notching up these performances, then top clubs would have been ready to pay up a top dollar to secure the services of the Brazilian. His current contract runs till 2025 and Arsenal have the intention to keep the man for a long term.

Gabriel has played a lot of games this season and some rest might help the player deliver better performances. Arsenal bringing in a good backup centre-back or using Rob Holding more often could do the trick for Arteta. They seem to have found the formula for their defensive line with neither of Ben White and Gabriel being droppable at the moment.

Arsenal are in a very good state right now and has to continue to do so if they want Gabriel to stay on long term. Most importantly, they have to challenge for trophies from next season. No player like to stay at a club and not win any trophies. If Gabriel sees that Arsenal are very good title contenders then it will drive him to give his absolute best to achieve the maximum.

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