Mikel Arteta has broken his silence regarding Arsenal's pursuit of defender Gabriel Magalhaes.
Having already secured the signing of Willian, the Spaniard has turned his attentions to adding defensive reinforcements to his squad ahead of the 2020/21 season.
A £25m fee with Lille has been agreed for Gabriel - who has also reportedly completed his medical and is now waiting to be confirmed as an Arsenal player.
There was a theory amongst supporters that the deal would have been announced on Wednesday, but that proved to be wishful thinking.
And the wait continues.
Speaking ahead of this weekend's Community Shield clash at Wembley Stadium, the Gunners boss confirmed his interest in Gabriel and delivered an update on when fans could expect an announcement.
"Regarding Gabriel we cannot announce the deal yet, it’s not finalised," Arteta said in his pre-Liverpool press conference. "You all know he’s a player we like.
"Everything is okay when both parties sign.
"Sometimes that in the last stages isn’t easy but we are pretty positive we can do it.
"When we get him I will be pleased.
"He’s a player we followed and we’re determined he’s the right profile for our squad."
Guilherme Miranda, who works for the agency that represents Gabriel, has revealed that while Arsenal did not propose the most lucrative offer, the impact of Edu and Arteta was vital to a transfer.
“Arsenal was nowhere near the best proposal [money wise]. Gabriel chose them over more lucrative offers because Edu convinced us of the project," he told Freddie Paxton.
"It’s 100% because of Edu Gaspar and Arteta."
