Arsenal already have their next Gabriel in “insane” Hale End teen who’s a total “beast”
After a disappointing draw prior to the international break and injuries to Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal steadied the ship on Sunday with a statement win in the North London Derby.
Despite missing their captain and Declan Rice, Mikel Arteta’s side put in a defensive masterclass and limited Tottenham Hotspur to few, if any, genuine chances before Gabriel Magalhães nodded home the winner in the 62nd minute from a Bukayo Saka corner.
It was a goal that we have become accustomed to seeing from the Gunners in recent years and was the perfect way for the Brazilian colossus to top off an exceptional display and brush off some of the mistakes he’s made in his first few games this season.
Alongside his defensive partner, William Saliba, the 26-year-old fan favourite has become an essential part of the North Londoners’ title-challenging side over the last couple of years, and while fans will be hoping he stays at the club for many years to come, they can rest assured that a promising youngster in the academy could be his long-term heir down the line.
Gabriel’s Arsenal career
It’s been just over four years since Arsenal agreed to pay LOSC Lille around £23m for the services of a then 22-year-old Gabriel, and while that was a reasonable sum of money for a player not many were familiar with in England at the time, it would be fair to describe it as a bargain in the years since.
While the São Paulo-born titan’s early years in England went under the radar somewhat due to the club’s position at the time, he has since established himself as one of the very best defenders in the league over the last couple of seasons, as demonstrated by his inclusion in the most recent PFA Team of the Year.
Moreover, not only has the “absolutely unstoppable” monster, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, helped create a brilliant defence that was the most effective in the league last season, but he’s also become a source of goals for the North Londoners.
For example, since joining, the 6 foot 3 ace has made 172 competitive appearances for the club, in which he has scored 16 goals and provided one assist, although 15 of those goals have come in just 136 Premier League games..
Overall, Gabriel has become an undroppable star in Arteta’s title-challenging Arsenal side, and while he’ll likely remain a starter for quite some time, the club already have a youngster on their hands who could eventually step into the team in his place.
Why fans should be excited about Ayden Heaven
Yes, the academy gem in question is 17-year-old Ayden Heaven.
Now, due to his age, it’s unlikely that the young Englishman is going to see much in the way of significant game time this season or the next, for that matter, but he was on the bench alongside several other Hale Enders on Sunday afternoon, which is an indication in and of itself that the club think there is something there.
The good news is that they’re right, and while most fans will be familiar with the 6 foot 2 centre-back thanks to his impressive appearances during preseason, he’s also been putting in brilliant performances for the junior sides.
For example, the young “beast”, as dubbed by podcaster Will Balsam, has already racked up 36 appearances across the Gunners’ various youth teams in which he’s provided an assist, and while the vast majority of said appearances have been at centre-back, he’s also played at left-back and even in midfield.
It’s this flexibility, along with his “insane” passing range, as described by Balsam, that could see the exciting prospect finally push his way into the first team a couple of years from now.
Ultimately, Heaven is not going to replace Gabriel anytime soon, but he has been consistently impressive in the junior sides and seems to be edging closer and closer to a competitive first-team debut, which could signal the start of a remarkable career.
