Arsenal chiefs hold talks over Gabriel Magalhaes sale with £51m fee touted

ARSENAL are considering a surprise sale of Gabriel Magalhaes despite becoming a key part of Mikel Arteta's team.

Mikel Arteta reviews Arsenal's defeat at Newcastle

Arsenal chiefs are holding talks over whether to agree to sell Gabriel Magalhaes this summer. The Brazilian has been linked with a transfer to Juventus in the window to replace Giorgio Chiellini.

Arsenal chiefs are meeting to hold talks over whether or not to sell Gabriel. That would come as a huge surprise due to his first-team commitments and the fact that he was one of the first signings Mikel Arteta insisted on when he arrived.

The Brazilian has been a staple at the back for Arsenal this season, partnering Ben White in defence after the Englishman was signed from Brighton last year for £50million. Arteta likes to have a left-footed defender in his backline to cope with his style of football, playing out from the back, while Gabriel can also pick a pass.

But it has been a nightmare campaign for the north London side in the Premier League, who might just have blown their Champions League ambitions right at the death after their defeats to Tottenham and Newcastle. And that is set to have a major impact in the transfer window.

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Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes could be on his way out this summer (Image: GETTY)

According to Tuttosport, Gabriel is one of the top targets at Juventus who are desperate to bounce back from a torrid campaign of their own. They might have clinched top four in Serie A but it is a steep decline from their domination over the last 10 years.

With stalwart Chiellini on the way out, a centre-back is being targeted and Juve sports director Federico Cherubini has flown to London to hold talks with Arsenal over the signing of Gabriel. Chiefs at the Emirates are yet to decide whether they will accept with offers as high as £51million.

Arteta is desperate to bolster his squad further in the summer and will not like the idea of losing one of his top centre-backs. But with another year likely out of the Champions League, the lack of revenue from that competition is hitting the club in the pocket.

After already splashing out on more than £150m worth of players in the summer of 2021, there needs some money coming back the other way. And if that is not via TV income from the Champions League, Arsenal might have to turn to selling some of their squad.

Arteta has made signing a striker a priority in the transfer window but they are notoriously expensive - especially when looking to bring in the top options - while the Spaniard wants to bring in two. However, not only that but a midfielder is also being targeted as well as a right-back.

Arsenal have not had it easy selling players in the past, with big stars such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all leaving for nothing. Only truly the Joe Willock deal benefited the Gunners massively, while the likes of Matteo Guendouzi and Emi Martinez arguably left for below their market value.

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