"If you ask me": Arteta says £66m Arsenal star is "one of the best" in the world right now

Arsenal return to Premier League action against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Ahead of the game, manager Mikel Arteta has provided some concerning news on the injury front.

Gabriel Magalhaes was substituted with a knock against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, and he was unable to train until yesterday.

The Brazilian centre-back will be assessed in today’s session before a final decision is made on his availability.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta was also asked about the progression of Gabriel.

He said (via Hayters TV): “If you ask me what I want from my centre-back, I want somebody who dominates both boxes and masters that.

“Gabriel can do that. When you look at his presence, the way he leads the team, the way he talks to people, his body language, there’s a lot to like.

“It’s no coincidence that he has evolved into one of the best centre-backs in the world.”

Gabriel ended last season on a sour note with a hamstring injury in April. As a result, the Brazilian had a late pre-season, but that has not hampered his performances this term.

The £66 million-rated star has been exceptional on both ends of the pitch. He has won 65 percent of his duels with six clearances per game. He has complemented William Saliba and Christian Mosquera brilliantly.

Gabriel has been equally good on the opposite end. The centre-back has bagged two goals and two assists from 12 appearances in all competitions for the London giants.

All of those goal involvements have come from set-pieces. The Brazilian scored a dramatic late winner at Newcastle United. Last weekend, he provided an assist for Leandro Trossard’s winner at Fulham.

Hence, Gabriel has undoubtedly become a world-class player in the Gunners’ ranks, and it remains to be seen whether he can recover in time to face Palace on Sunday.

Otherwise, Arteta may have to opt for another solution. There is a possibility that Piero Hincapie could finally make his league debut after returning from a groin injury.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

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