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.