Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is confident that a deal for Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes will be wrapped up soon.
The highly-rated centre-back appears to be inching closer towards a £27m move to the Emirates Stadium, and Gabriel has reportedly undergone his medical ahead of his switch to the Premier League.
The Gunners are yet to formally announce the 22-year-old as an Arsenal player, but Arteta is confident that Gabriel's move will soon be completed prior to the new campaign.
"We cannot announce anything yet [with regards to Gabriel]. The deal is not finalised, he is a player we have followed for a long time. Hopefully we can get it done," Arteta told reporters.
"Everything is okay when both parties sign and the player agrees the terms and he goes through the medical. Sometimes in the final stages it is not as easy as it looks but we are pretty positive that we can do it.
"When we get it I will be very pleased. We are determined he has the right profile to improve our squad. If we are able to finalise it we will be delighted."
Arteta is also optimistic that club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will commit his future to Arsenal, with the prolific forward out of contract at the Emirates next summer.
Ben Knapton
