Everton are planning to revive our efforts to sign LOSC Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes in the summer, according to Le10 Sport.
Director of Football Marcel Brands is said to have targeted the 22-year-old Brazilian throughout the January window, but saw his attempted swoops relentlessly rebuffed as the sum on the table failed to meet Les Dogues’ asking price.
Fellow Premier League side Arsenal also tried their luck in luring Gabriel away from the Stade Pierre Mauroy last month, but were likewise unsuccessful in their attempts having also presented bids bellow the Ligue 1 outfit’s valuation.
Everton and Arsenal chiefs are claimed to have presented multiple offers to Lille over the winter market for Gabriel’s services, but all approaches were turned away leading to the French side signing the £13.5million-rated centre-half to a new contract which keeps him at the club until 2023.
Both the Gunners and we are expected to revive our interest in Gabriel come the summer, with Lille open to selling the Under 23 international if a suitable offer is presented at the close of the campaign.
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Gabriel has been a regular of manager Christophe Galtier’s plans this season, with 29 outings in all competitions including a constant presence in Les Dogues’ Champions League Group Stage and Coupe de la Ligue efforts.
A foot injury prevented the 23-year-old from featuring in Lille’s opening two Ligue 1 fixtures of 2019/20, but Gabriel has only missed one French top-flight match since – having been an unused substitute against Nimes Olympique in October.
The Sao Paulo-born defender has started 28 of his outings this term, and scored his first goal of the campaign last time out as Galtier’s side beat RC Strasbourg Alsace 2-1 to move fourth in the Ligue 1 standings after a three-game losing streak.
Across his league outings, Gabriel has averaged the most successful tackles of Lille’s four centre-halves with 1.4 from 1.8 attempts per 90 minutes, according to data collected by WhoScored.
He also ranks first for clearances (3.9), shots blocked (0.8), passes blocked (0.4), crosses blocked (0.4), accurate long passes (4.1), and aerial duels won (3.3) and attempted (5.1),
Gabriel is second for shots taken (0.6) and key balls (0.2), while ranking third for interceptions (1.0) and fouls committed (0.7).
In other Everton news, a former international has claimed that Carlo Ancelotti is starting to get the most out of players the club appeared to have wasted millions of pounds to sign.