Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has admitted he would join Corinthians ‘tomorrow’ if given the chance.

Gabriel has formed arguably the strongest centre-back partnership in the Premier League with William Saliba at Arsenal.

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The Gunners conceded 29 times in 38 games this season, the Brazilian has become a fan favourite at the Emirates.

However, the 26-year-old has admitted there may be one club he loves even more than Arsenal.

In an interview with the YouTube channel Cartoloucos, he said: “Corinthians has been there since I was born.

“And today I don’t think it has to be any different. I keep going to the Corinthians game by train.

“It’s my dream, I want to play for Corinthians, I want to feel that energy.

“It’s something to think about. Sometimes, I stop and think. ‘Do you dream of playing for Corinthians?’

“For me, tomorrow I’d be at Corinthians. I want, as soon as possible, to feel the energy of that crowd, which is incredible.”

Gabriel’s love for Corinthians is no secret and he has even been spotted travelling with fans to attend games.

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Corinthians are one of the biggest sides in South America, based in Sao Paulo where Gabriel was born and raised.

While there is no immediate sign of Gabriel leaving Arsenal this summer, speculation over his future is nothing new.

The previous year, there was notable interest in the defender from Saudi Arabia, which resulted in Mikel Arteta initially excluding Gabriel from his starting lineup at the season’s start.

The Brazil international has a contract with the Gunners until the summer of 2027, having joined from Lille in 2020 for around £27million.

In his homeland, Gabriel came up through the ranks at Avai in the south of Brazil.

The central defender thought about quitting during his time there, feeling homesick, and went back to Sao Paulo before deciding otherwise and securing a professional contract at the age of 16.

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