Real Madrid suffered a major complication in defense after the untimely injury to key man Eder Militao.
The Brazilian international suffered an ACL injury that will keep him out for almost the entirety of the 2023/24 season.
In light of his absence, it is said that the Spanish powerhouse have been searching the market for adequate replacements, despite some reports stating otherwise.
Arsenal’s Gabriel enters the picture
According to Daily Mail, Real Madrid have shown a genuine interest in Arsenal centre-back, Gabriel Magalhaes, whose market value stands at €55 million.
With Militao missing from the ranks, Gabriel could seamlessly slot in as a ball-playing center-back and emulate his countryman’s ball distribution.
Gabriel is also known to be a solid duelist, which is another quality that has seemingly sparked interest from Los Blancos.
The 25-year-old centre-half was not in the starting XI for Arsenal’s opening Premier League fixture of the season against Nottingham Forest, amid interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.
Gabriel has regularly featured for the Gunners in the starting XI, and his absence thus was perceived as a rare occurrence.
Although Real Madrid are one of the many teams eyeing the player’s situation, the report argues that the 25-year-old international is happy at Arsenal and dedicated to helping the Gunners in their pursuit of the Premier League title.
Considering Gabriel is keen on staying put in England, Real Madrid will likely be obliged to look in other areas.
Looking in-house
With Militao’s injury, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger are expected to take over as Real Madrid’s two primary centre-backs, with Nacho serving as the obvious backup.
The club’s academy can also prove to be useful in such a scenario, with youngsters from La Fabrica relied upon.
Marvel is a rising talent in the academy who is already admired by Carlo Ancelotti. The 20-year-old centre-back is likely to be promoted to the first team.
At the same time, the manager is also considering Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy as options at the heart of the defence if the situation worsens.
So, as things stand, it appears unlikely that Real Madrid will move for Gabriel despite holding an interest in him.