Bargain buy Gabriel Paulista may be defender Wenger has craved

Not many Arsenal fans may have heard of their new €20m signing centre-back Gabriel Paulista.

But Arsene Wenger looks to have picked up a bargain, and a potential long-term solution to the Gunners’ perennial issues at centre-back.

The 24-year-old Gabriel has yet to be capped by Brazil, but has been among La Liga’s best centre-backs this season. Given his chance through injury, he quickly settled in to become an automatic first choice at Villarreal, an important figure in the team’s recent run of 17 games unbeaten as they climbed the Primera Division table, while progressing in the Copa del Rey and Europa League.

Gabriel arrived in Spain from Brazilian club Vitoria de Bahia as a virtual unknown in August 2013 for €3.3m, and he took some months to find his feet in European football. However, an injury to regular centre-back Mateo Musacchio last September gave the youngster a chance to cement a first team spot — and there has been no looking back since.

Arsenal are getting a technically excellent defender, who reads the game well and is fast across the ground. A right-footer, he has also shown versatility by playing at times in both full-back positions for Villarreal when required. At 6’ 2” and 13½ stone, he is strong in the tackle and in the air, but just four yellow cards in 27 appearances this season show a tendency to wait for a chance to nick possession rather than take a risk.

A typically Brazilian comfort on the ball has also suited the patient possession-based style favoured by Villarreal coach Marcelino Garcia Toral. This should in theory also fit with Wenger’s similar approach. His pace should also come in useful when Arsenal play a ‘high line’ against dangerous opponents.

The in-form La Liga side were not keen to let such a vital player go, and stuck to their guns forcing Arsenal to pay the buyout clause in his contract. Villarreal were also persuaded by the chance to use the negotiations to seal a loan deal for Costa Rica international attacker Joel Campbell.

Gabriel himself had also showed a strong side to his character in helping to make the deal go through. When Arsenal’s interest became known in mid-January, he went public about his wish to play in England, while being careful to not offend his then employers.

Villarreal coach Marcelino refused to criticise this show of ambition, instead praising the ambitious youngster’s attitude and professionalism. The general understanding all-round meant he received an emotional send-off from grateful home fans before last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Levante. There was more praise for the departing player during Marcelino’s post-game news conference.

“Gabriel’s move surprised us all a bit at the start, but it is what it is,” he said. “Arsenal’s offer is too good to turn down for the club, and for the player. We will try and not miss him, but it will be difficult. He is an extraordinary kid, upstanding, a hard-worker, who earned everything he has received. When he arrived, he had some difficult months when he did not play much. But he worked very hard and won the respect and affection of everyone in the dressing room. I wish him the best in his personal and sporting future.”

Such a strong character is something which some Arsenal fans might argue has been missing in their defence. One of Gabriel’s stand-out performances so far was in December’s 1-0 win at La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, when he stood up well to the challenge of facing Atletico’s big strong centre-forward Mario Mandzukic. He has also played an important part in excellent Villarreal performances against Real Madrid and Barcelona this term, another sign that facing big-name opponents does not appear to faze him.