Mikel Arteta says £27m Arsenal player has now reached a whole new ‘level’, it’s ‘undeniable’

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal have one of the best squads in Europe.

The Gunners have challenged for the Premier League title in each of the last two seasons, and they have come close on both occasions.

Mikel Arteta will be hoping that third time is the charm, and Arsenal are just a point off the Premier League table despite a very difficult fixture list so far.

A number of players deserve credit for their performances this season. Arteta has heaped praise on one of them for how he has evolved in recent years.

Mikel Arteta explains how Gabriel Magalhaes has reached a new level at Arsenal

Arsenal signed Gabriel Magalhaes for £27 million from Lille in the summer of 2020.

The Brazilian scored on his Gunners debut and announced himself in style. But, Gabriel did make a few mistakes in his first two seasons at the club, and that led to criticism.

However, the defender’s growth as a player has been extremely consistent. He has gotten better and better every season and is now among the best centre-halves in world football.

Arteta’s tutelage is one of the biggest reasons why Gabriel is so good now, but the Arsenal boss has refused to take any credit for his development.

The Spaniard admitted that Gabriel’s ‘undeniable’ performances have taken him to a ‘different level’, and he has credited the defender’s off-field decisions for his success on the pitch.

Arteta said, as relayed on HaytersTV: “I think his role in the team, the way he was perceived when he arrived, obviously the language was a barrier, he didn’t have the environment, he didn’t have the family that he’s got today.

“He has made a lot of right decisions. He’s proved to everybody how committed he is to the team and to the club. Then obviously, his performances are undeniable.

“That has taken him to a different level in terms of the standards we set in the team, especially in the way that we have to defend.”

READ MORE: Rio Ferdinand thinks Arsenal star Gabriel is just like one Man Utd icon

Gabriel doesn’t get enough credit because of one Arsenal player

Arsenal had the best defence in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, and there’s every chance they will achieve the same feat again this term.

William Saliba gets a lot of plaudits for Arsenal’s stellar defence and rightly so. He has been unbelievable for the Gunners since he made his debut.

However, Gabriel’s performances often go under the radar because of Saliba’s brilliance, which is why the Brazilian very rarely gets the credit he deserves.

But, Arsenal fans all know just how good Gabriel is, and Arteta’s right – he has gone to a whole new level now thanks to his performances.

Gabriel is still only 26 years old. He’s already one of the best defenders in the world, but we are convinced he will become even better in the coming years.