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Arsenal told Gabriel Magalhaes is ‘a legend of the club’

By Ritayan Chatterjee on October 26, 2026

Arsenal legend Martin Keown has claimed that Gabriel Magalhaes is already ‘a legend of the football club’.

After moving to the Emirates Stadium from LOSC Lille back in 2020, the 28-year-old initially displayed inconsistent performances. However, he has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League in recent years.

Last season, he scored four goals and registered five assists in 51 appearances across all competitions. Moreover, the defender helped his side win the Premier League.

Gabriel has continued to display promising performances this season, helping his side beat Everton 2-0 by putting his name on the scoresheet last weekend.

Having proven his worth in the Premier League, Gabriel has secured his place in the Brazilian national team’s starting line-up.

Now, speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day after the Everton game, Keown says (via Metro) that the South American is into his sixth season at Arsenal and is a machine, as it is very hard for the attackers to beat him.

He has become mature in recent times and is now a leader at the back. He even displayed an excellent performance against the Merseyside club. The fans love him, and he is now ‘a legend of the football club’.

Gabriel hailed as Arsenal legend

Keown said:

“Gabriel is into his sixth season at Arsenal now and this guy is just a machine. You rarely see a striker get the better of him. I’ve seen him mature a lot and become the leader at the back. He was immense again today. He just loves defending and the fans just buzz of him. He’s a legend of the football club now.”

Apart from Gabriel, valued at around £63m by Transfermarkt, Mikel Arteta currently has Piero Hincapié and Riccardo Calafiori as options to deploy in the LCB position. However, the duo mainly features as a left-back.

On the other hand, following William Saliba’s back injury, Arsenal decided to reinforce the backline by purchasing Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa this summer.

The Englishman has enjoyed a promising start at the Emirates Stadium this season, helping his side mount another title charge. Arsenal are currently second in the Premier League table on goal difference.

Meanwhile, the North London club are set to face Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night before taking on Liverpool in the Premier League next weekend.