Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes is on the cusp of becoming an Arsenal player, according to L'Equipe.
The respected French publication claims that the 22-year-old will join the Gunners on a five-year contract 'in the coming hours' after Mikel Arteta's side moved to the front of the queue for the left-footed centre-back.
Premier League rivals Everton had been keen on a move for Gabriel, but the Merseysiders were muscled out of a deal by interest from both Arsenal and Napoli.
The Italians are said to still be interested in a move for the defender, with the prospect of a higher wage on offer still a possibility.
However L'Equipe insist that it is Arsenal who have now 'never been so close' to a deal for Gabriel, who could become their second signing from Lille in as many summers following the arrival of Nicolas Pepe last year.
Gabriel joined Lille from Brazilian club Avai in 2017, and has grown to be one of the best young defenders in Ligue 1 following loan spells at Troyes and Dinamo Zagreb.
One man who will be happy with the arrival is former Gunners star Charlie Nicholas, who is backing Gabriel to star alongside William Saliba in the Arsenal defence.
"Gabriel must come in - would he be a good signing? Yes," he told Sky Sports.
Would Gabriel be a good signing for Arsenal? Have your say in the comments below
"We let Saliba stay at Saint-Etienne last season which was a ridiculous decision. People said 'He'll be naive and he'll struggle in the English Premier League' and you go: 'Are these guys already here not struggling in the Premier League? They're not doing it'. But they made that decision.
"So we welcome Saliba and if we can get Gabriel I think suddenly we've got a bit of pace and a bit of power there."
