Arsenal’s 2025-26 campaign will be ‘different’, vows Gabriel
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Arsenal's Brazilian defensive rock Gabriel Magalhaes (foreground) is excited by the Gunners’ latest recruits.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes believes the upcoming season will be "different" and successful, driven by new signings and team growth.
- The Gunners have invested heavily, acquiring Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Noni Madueke to bolster their squad for title contention.
- Arsenal are in Singapore for pre-season, facing AC Milan and Newcastle, with Gabriel eager to start after injury.
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SINGAPORE – Nearly five years have passed since Arsenal last lifted a trophy, but their Brazilian defensive rock Gabriel Magalhaes is confident that the coming season will mark a turning point for the club.
The centre-back, who recently signed a new contract keeping him at the English Premier League club until 2029, said in an interview ahead of Arsenal’s pre-season trip to Singapore that the campaign will be “different”, and that he is excited by the Gunners’ latest recruits.
Arsenal arrived in Singapore on July 20
At the National Stadium, Mikel Arteta’s men will face Italian giants AC Milan
Gabriel, 27, said via a translator: “I have been at the club for five years now, and I’ve seen how much the club have grown.
“I am here to win titles. I do believe that this season will be different.
“We’ve led a couple of titles slip through our fingers recently. We almost won (before) but I think that this year, things will be different. I have a lot of faith in that.”
In the 2024-25 season, Arsenal – just as they did in the season before – threatened to put together a run for the EPL title but faded away. The Gunners finished runners-up in the league, 10 points behind winners Liverpool. They were also eliminated in the third round of the FA Cup and the semi-finals of both the League Cup and Champions League.
Under Arteta, Arsenal have shown progress but that has yet to translate into major silverware, with the 2020 FA Cup triumph the lone exception since his tenure began in December 2019.
Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes (centre) signing autographs and taking photos with fans at W Singapore Sentosa Cove, on July 20.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
When asked about the missing piece of the puzzle, Gabriel insisted it has not been for a lack of effort. He added: “We did everything we could in the last few years.
“I feel like we had a little bit of bad luck sometimes, but we all believe that we can win big titles. The pre-season has started and we’re focused on what our manager is telling us to do and what we have to do and what we have to improve.
“I think this year will be different.”
The Gunners have shown a real desire and ambition in the transfer market as they look to win their first top-flight title since 2004.
They have added midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in a deal reportedly worth around £55 million (S$95.6 million), paid an initial fee of £10 million for Brentford captain Christian Norgaard and signed England winger Noni Madueke from Chelsea
New Arsenal signing Martin Zubimendi engaging with fans at W Singapore Sentosa Cove on July 20.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Sweden and Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals last season, is also said to be close to joining the Gunners in a deal reported to be worth over €70 million (S$104.6 million).
On the new signings, Gabriel said: “Definitely, it excites me. We want to have the best players. So we’re really happy with the players here, we’re happy with the signings and we think that the club are on the right track.”
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka signing autographs and taking photos with fans at W Singapore Sentosa Cove on July 20.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Gabriel himself has proven indispensable since his £27 million move from Lille in 2020.
Arsenal’s drop-off in the EPL coincided with Gabriel’s season-ending hamstring injury. In the eight matches he missed at the end of the season, Arsenal managed to win only thrice.
He is raring to go for the new campaign, adding: “I have been training really hard with the group already. The season is going to be full of challenges, but I already feel good to hit the ground running and play.”
This will be Milan’s first visit to Singapore, while Arsenal were last here in 2018 for the International Champions Cup, where they faced Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid. The Magpies last played in Singapore in 1996 against an S-League All-Stars team.
Gabriel, who is on his first visit to Singapore, said: “We know that it’s a beautiful place, but we’re going to go there to prepare ourselves for the season ahead.
“We have some great games to play. We’re going to focus on what our manager is going to tell us to focus on and to do. But if we have free time, we will get to know the beautiful city.”
Tickets to the Singapore Festival of Football are available at Ticketek
