Arsenal 27yo signs new contract | OneFootball

Gabriel Magalhães extends his stay in north London as Arsenal move to secure their most reliable centre-back amid interest from abroad.

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Gabriel Magalhães has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, committing his future to the club until 2030.

The 27-year-old Brazil international, currently recovering from injury, has become a cornerstone of Mikel Arteta’s side since arriving from Lille in September 2020 for a fee of around £27 million. Since then, he has made 210 appearances and scored 20 goals in all competitions, establishing himself as both a defensive pillar and a consistent attacking threat from set-pieces.

This latest contract is the second extension Gabriel has signed since joining Arsenal, further underlining his importance to a back line that has conceded the fewest goals in each of the last two Premier League seasons. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year for 2023–24 and scored perhaps the club’s most memorable goal of that campaign, a bullet header that secured a 2–1 win away at Tottenham Hotspur in September.

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“Arsenal is an amazing club and I’m so proud to sign a new contract,” Gabriel said. “I love this club, I love the supporters, my teammates, I love this stadium. I’m so proud and thank you for all the support. We continue together for the future.”

Having missed the final two months of the 2024–25 season through injury, Gabriel’s absence was deeply felt. Arsenal struggled to maintain their defensive dominance without him, particularly in the closing weeks of the campaign. His return for pre-season is expected to be a major boost, with the club confirming that he is on track to be fully fit for the start of 2025–26.

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“I arrived here as a young player and after almost five years I’m so happy and I’ve learned a lot,” Gabriel added. “I’m so proud of myself, it’s an amazing journey, and I’m so happy to continue it. I hope I win some trophies with this club, because I love this club and my family loves the club, too.”

His aerial prowess and anticipation have been hallmarks of his game, with five goals from centre-back this season alone. Internationally, he made his debut for Brazil in 2021 and has since earned 14 caps, scoring his first international goal in a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela in October 2023.

Andrea Berta, Arsenal’s newly appointed sporting director, made Gabriel’s renewal a priority after arriving at the club, and is also understood to have opened talks with William Saliba over a potential new deal.