“I Think the Players That Came Will Help Us Out” - Gabriel’s Faith in Arsenal

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães isn’t mincing his words this pre-season. After years of near misses, heartbreaks, and painful almosts, the Brazilian centre-back believes 2025 is the year things change for the Gunners, and he’s backing the club’s new recruits to make the difference.

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“We have let a couple of titles slip through our fingers,” Gabriel told BBC Sport before jetting off on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Singapore and Hong Kong. “But I think this year will be different.”

It’s hard not to sense a shift. Mikel Arteta may have transformed Arsenal’s playing style and lifted the mood around the Emirates, but silverware has eluded them since that FA Cup win in 2020. Three straight years of finishing runners-up in the Premier League, plus agonising exits in both the Champions League and Carabao Cup last season, have left scars.

Injuries haven’t helped. Key players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus all spent chunks of last season sidelined. Arteta even had to deploy Mikel Merino, yes, a midfielder, as a makeshift striker at times. Still, Gabriel refuses to dwell on excuses.

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“I don’t think we can give excuses,” he said. “We did everything we could in the last three years… but we all believe that we can win big titles.”

The Arsenal Reload

The belief comes with good reason. This summer, Arsenal haven’t been shy in the transfer market. In came Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, a mix of youth, experience, and Champions League pedigree.

And the shopping might not be over. Arsenal are closing in on Viktor Gyökeres, a forward Gabriel knows well from last season’s Champions League clashes with Sporting.

“We all know he is a great player,” Gabriel smiled when asked about Gyökeres. “Playing against him last year was a challenge… but he is a Sporting player, not an Arsenal player, at least for now.”

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It’s a telling grin. Gabriel knows the arrival of players like Gyökeres could be what tips Arsenal over the edge, from challengers to champions.

“I think the players that came will help us out a lot,” Gabriel said, with a confidence that feels infectious. “We want to have the best players. To be in the dispute for titles, you have to have the best.”

The Hunger Remains

Gabriel himself is ready for battle, having signed a new deal keeping him at the club until 2029. “I’ve been at the club five years now, and I’ve seen how much it’s grown,” he said. “I am here to win big titles. I have a lot of faith that this season will be different.”

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Arsenal fans have heard it before, but with Gabriel’s passion, Arteta’s vision, and some serious reinforcements, maybe this time it’s not just hopeful talk. Maybe, just maybe… this is the season Arsenal finally get it right.