Arsenal look to be on the journey to something special, as Mikel Arteta continues to grow as a manager alongside his budding squad full of exciting talent.
The Gunners underwent some difficult times at the start of the Spaniard’s reign, at a time when many doubted the limits of his capabilities as a coach as his first two seasons resulted in consecutive 8th-place Premier League finishes.
As time went by and the former Arsenal midfielder was able to fully sculpt the squad to his liking, improvement began to be noticeable, as he took the team to 5th place in the 2021/22 campaign, agonisingly shy of a top-four finish.
2018/19
Unai Emery
5th
2019/20
Mikel Arteta
8th
2020/21
Mikel Arteta
8th
2021/22
Mikel Arteta
5th
2022/23
Mikel Arteta
2nd
It seemed as though the squad took missing out on the top four to their north London rivals personally, as the 2022/23 season began the start of the club’s revolution, as they challenged for the title for the majority of the term.
Manchester City swept the prizes last year, winning the domestic treble, however, Arteta restored the hope at the Emirates for years to come.
During his reign, the former Everton whiz has recruited strongly, welcoming a host of talent through the doors in north London with each new arrival having a significant role to play in his master plan.
One area that needed attention was the defence, which was strengthened by the arrivals of Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes and Oleksandr Zinchenko, paired with the return of William Saliba from his loan spells.
How much did Arsenal sign Gabriel Magalhaes for?
Signed from French outfit Lille in 2020 for £27m, Gabriel arrived in the bid for Arteta to rebuild the foundations of his back four.
The manager lauded his new arrival as a player who could strengthen his squad as a “defensive unit and as a team”, branding him an “outstanding” defender based on his form in France.
It was revealed at the time of the deal being complete that Manchester United were also eyeing a potential move for the Brazilian, with Everton and Napoli also named as clubs that held interest.
Around the time of his move from Ligue 1 to the Premier League, the centre-back had an expected transfer value (xTV) of €15.5m (£13.4m), which has significantly risen since his journey to fame in north London, via Football Transfers.
What is Gabriel Magalhaes’ market value now?
Currently, the Sao Paulo-born ace has a market value of €80m (£69m), as per CIES Football Observatory, showcasing just how much his game has developed, as well as how good of a deal Arsenal struck to acquire him.
In three years, the defender’s value has risen by almost €65m, with his good form and personal development rewarded with an improved contract from the club in 2022, where his deal was extended to 2027.
At the time of his renewed deal, Arteta dubbed his star defender as a “hugely important” part of the squad after establishing himself as one of the Emirates’ first-choice centre-backs.
How much does Gabriel Magalhaes earn?
Along with his stay being extended, the Brazilian saw his wages rise as a result of his revised contract.
The 25-year-old saw his hard work pay off as his salary doubled in value last year, taking his weekly wage from £50k to £100k by putting pen to paper.
From earning £291k-per-year at the point of signing for Lille, the defender’s rise at Arsenal has resulted in him earning £5.2m-per-year, suggesting just how highly he is regarded in north London.
Why is he worth that much?
Praised as being “solid as a rock” by talent scout Jacek Kulig in his debut season, Gabriel’s form has transformed over the years, with it seeming as though the Brazil international has found sanctuary in playing alongside Saliba.
In the 2020/21 campaign, the Brazilian averaged a pass completion rate of 85.4% per 90, as well as making 1.13 tackles and 2.57 aerial wins per 90, via FBref.
The most prominent improvement to his game has been his distribution, recording an average pass completion rate of 89.4% per 90, as well as making 1.27 tackles and 2.64 aerial wins per 90 in the 2022/23 season.
Working alongside Saliba seems to complement the former Lille star, with the Frenchman being an extremely competent ball player himself as highlighted by his average pass completion rate of 91.0% per 90 last term.
When reviewing Arsenal’s defence, the combination of Gabriel and Saliba has assisted in balancing the back four, with both showing their strengths in orchestrating the play ahead of them as well as the task at hand.
Twitter X figure Eduardo Hagn was full of praise for the partnership after the Gunners’ emphatic win against PSV on their Champions League return, calling them a “world-class” duo.
What does the future hold for Gabriel?
With 124 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions under his belt, the 25-year-old has all the tools to write himself into history as part of a squad that is destined for glory sooner rather than later.
The Gunners struggled for years to unearth the next capable defensive duo, with the combination of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny arguably the last pairing that consistently succeeded in red and white.
Last season was the first term that Saliba and Gabriel were combined in the heart of the back line, and with such performances marking their first experiences with each other, Arteta’s defence is in safe hands for years to come.
Arsenal are back in the Champions League and among the top side’s in the Premier League, with the Brazilian being an integral part of the journey in the capital.
Away from domestic football, the future looks bright for the former Ligue 1 gem’s international prognosis, as he earned his first cap for his country earlier this month after the disappointment of not being selected for the 2022 World Cup.
Emerging as a top talent in England with Arsenal, and a player recognised at international level for Fernando Diniz’s squad, the Gunners machine is in for an exciting new chapter of his career if his form can continue to flourish.
In signing Gabriel for just £27m, Arteta and Edu struck gold on another Brazilian talent whose value continues to soar in the capital.