Arsenal have tied one of their key players to a long-term deal ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Mikel Arteta’s side once again finished runner-up in the Premier League. This season it was Liverpool, not Man City, that pipped them to the title.
With preparations starting for the 2025/26 season, Arteta has tied Gabriel Magalhães to a new contract.
Gabriel signs new deal
Defender Gabriel has penned a new deal with the Gunners, committing his long-term future to the club. The deal was confirmed by the club’s website.
Speaking to the website, Gabriel said:
“I arrived here as a young player and after almost five years I’m so happy and I’ve learned a lot. 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.
“Arsenal is an amazing club and I’m so proud to sign a new contract. 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.”
While the club doesn’t state how long the deal is, The Athletic confirmed the contract will keep him at the Emirates until 2029.
Gabriel’s influence on Arsenal
Since making his Premier League debut in September 2020, no defender has scored more goals (17) and kept more clean sheets (57) than Gabriel for the Gunners.
In the 2024/25 season, Gabriel played 28 games for the Gunners in the Premier League. His season was cut short when he sustained a hamstring injury in April. The injury required surgery and kept him out of the final stage of the season.
He received an average Sofascore rating of 7.24 for his league performances. This was the fourth-highest rating in the squad.
Defensively, Gabriel was once again a standout for Arsenal. He had 0.6 interceptions, 3.2 clearances and 0.9 tackles per game.
How important is Gabriel to Arsenal?
The partnership between Gabriel and William Saliba is not only the best in the league – it’s arguably the best in the world.
The duo have created a formidable back line and when one is out, it’s noticeable.
Gabriel missed both games against PSG in the Champions League. Despite the efforts of Jakub Kiwor, the Brazilian’s presence was missed.
Arsenal might have still lost against PSG, even with Gabriel in the team. But with Gabriel and Saliba at the back, Arsenal might have had a better chance at getting past PSG into the Champions League final.