Arsenal begin contract talks with defender

Premier League title chasers Arsenal make the short trip to rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby on Sunday. 

Mikel Arteta’s side were dealt a huge blow when they lost 2-0 against Aston Villa last week, before being dumped out of the Champions League.

They responded in style, though, defeating Wolves last weekend before beating London rivals Chelsea 5-0 at The Emirates on Tuesday night.

Victory over Spurs will keep alive their hopes of winning the title, but their opponents are chasing fourth place and will also be desperate to secure all three points.

In the meantime, Arsenal are said to have opened contract talks with one of their most important players.

As per The Evening Standard, the North London side have begun negotiations over an extension to Gabriel’s current deal.

Gabriel has been integral to Arsenal’s success this season

The Brazilian has been in fine form this term, forming a formidable partnership alongside Frenchman William Saliba.

Gabriel, 26, joined the Gunners from French side Lille back in 2020, and has since made 164 appearances for the club across all competitions.

His current contract is set to run until the end of the 2026/27 season, but the report claims that Arsenal want to reward the Brazilian for his fine form over the past two seasons.

Last year, Arsenal tied Salba down to a new long-term deal, and the club are now hoping to do the same with his central defensive partner.

It is claimed that there is confidence from both parties that an agreement will be reached.

Since Mikel Arteta took charge of the Gunners in 2019, only winger Bukayo Saka has played more minutes for the club than Gabriel.