Gabriel Magalhaes has been left out of Lille’s squad for their friendly on Saturday and the club have handed his number 4 shirt to an 18-year-old.

Lille's Brazilian defender Gabriel dos Santos Magalhaes (R) fights for the ball with Montpellier's French forward Gaetan Laborde during the French L1 football match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Montpellier Herault Sport Club (MHSC) at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, on December 13, 2019. (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI / AFP) (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI/AFP via Getty Images)
Lille’s Brazilian defender Gabriel dos Santos Magalhaes (R) fights for the ball with Montpellier’s French forward Gaetan Laborde during the French L1 football match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Montpellier Herault Sport Club (MHSC) at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, on December 13, 2019. (Photo by FRANCOIS LO PRESTI / AFP)

The speculation around the transfer of Gabriel from Lille to Arsenal has intensified immensely over the past few days with outlets claiming that he has indeed agreed to come to Arsenal. Others aren’t quite so sure and believe that Manchester United are still in the running.

Either way, it would certainly seem that his club are making a pretty big statement today and the player is going somewhere.

This was their team news ahead of their friendly against AZ Alkmaar:

https://twitter.com/losclive/status/1292077386805268482

 

lille squad number 4
via LOSC Lille on Twitter
Gabriel's squad number history via Transfermarkt
Gabriel’s squad number history via Transfermarkt

Imagine Arsenal turning up for a friendly and one of the academy players wearing number 10. You wouldn’t just think there was nothing in it.

You’d know there was.

The number four named on the bench is 18-year-old Nassim Innocenti who has not yet made a senior team appearance for the club.

Innocenti has played six times for Lille’s u19 side after joining from Lyon’s youth team in the summer of 2018.

Make of all that what you will…