Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta considers making a move for the highly-rated Lille defender Gabriel, as he is looking to strengthen his defense in January
The newly appointed Gunners manager is well aware of his team’s defensive frailties that have seen Arsenal concede 27 goals in 18 Premier League fixtures.
Acquisitions of Kieran Tierney and David Luiz have proved insufficient to solve their defensive problems, and Arteta plans to fix that in the upcoming transfer window.
According to the Daily Mirror, the Spaniard is looking to land the Brazilian defender Gabriel, who has enjoyed an eye-catching first half of the season at Lille.
Transfer Talk: Arsenal eyeing Gabriel to help in defence? https://t.co/jtVjuFicKc pic.twitter.com/ntvWMdddA0
— The Gunners News (@GunnersNews2019) December 26, 2019
The 22-year-old has emerged as a real target for the North Londoners after Napoli priced them out of a move for Kalidou Koulibaly.
Arsenal already completed a massive £72million transfer of Nicolas Pepe from Les Dogues in the summer and could come back knocking on their doors again this winter.
Bolstering his defense next month could be crucial in Arteta’s efforts to help the Gunners roar back into contention for the top-four finish in the Premier League.
An underwhelming first half of the season has seen them pick up just five wins in 18 league games, which is why they currently trail fourth-placed Chelsea by nine points.