Arsenal star Gabriel reveals how close he came to joining Juventus this summer

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Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has suggested that he has no intention of joining Juventus before the end of the transfer window by insisting that he remains fully committed to the project in north London. Gabriel has reportedly been the subject of considerable interest from elsewhere in Europe this summer after establishing himself as one of Mikel Arteta’s most important squad members since his arrival from Lille two years ago.

Barcelona were said to be eyeing a potential move for Gabriel earlier in the window, while Juventus have also often been mentioned in connection with the 24-year-old since the end of last season. The defender appears to be happily settled at Arsenal, though, and remains wholly on board with helping the Gunners to achieve their aim of sealing Champions League qualification over the course of the new campaign.

“It’s always nice to get that recognition but I’m really focused on Arsenal,” Gabriel told Sky Sports when quizzed on the external interest in his services.

“I am very happy here. I’ve got a good relationship with my team-mates and I am fully committed to the project. I am convinced that, with the project we have, we can achieve a lot.”

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Gabriel’s standing as a key player at Arsenal was somewhat threatened by the return of William Saliba, who produced a man-of-the-match performance in the club’s Premier League opener against Crystal Palace earlier this month. However, it seems as though he will continue to play a hugely important role for the north Londoners for at least another year as they look to trouble the division’s upper reaches between now and the end of the season.

The Brazilian defender featured in all but three of Arsenal’s games in the Premier League last season and remains tied down to the Gunners until the summer of 2025 as things stand. He is a player hugely admired by Arteta, who waxed lyrical over his influence at the back and his potential to develop even further when asked about Gabriel’s performance in Arsenal’s narrow win at Burnley last season.

“We know he’s a player with an incredible future and is already giving us a lot,” said Arteta in his post-match interview.

“He has adapted really well to the league. That’s why we signed him. He is stepping in, his language is much better and he can coach and communicate much better with his team-mates.

“He understands what we want and I don’t think it gets much harder than playing here in the Premier League. He was terrific.”

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