Nicolas Pepe and David Luiz helped convince Gabriel Magalhaes to move to Arsenal this summer, according to quotes from Pepe and Gabriel.

Speaking last month when most of the fanbase were in a huff with the club and not paying attention, Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe confirmed that he and David Luiz both played a part in convincing Gabriel Magalhaes to join the club this summer.

Gabriel is fast becoming a fan favourite in North London, but he had plenty of options to choose from when he left Lille. Former teammate Pepe and Brazilian compatriot Luiz did their best to make sure the 22-year-old picked Arsenal.

“Yes, I did speak to him quite a lot before he came here,” Pepe said. “I recommended to him that it would be a good idea at the time and we did need a new defender. He would be able to play.

“He’s come in, he’s confident. Also, David Luiz spoke to him, he speaks French and Portuguese so it’s quite easy for him.”

Gabriel also previously confirmed Pepe’s role in the move. He admitted he spoke with the Ivory Coast international to find out more about the club, and the fact they’d played together at Lille helped him trust Pepe’s answers.

“I spoke with Pepe before I moved,” Gabriel confirmed. “I asked him how it was at the club. Of course, he influenced my decision. He was one of the reasons why I decided to move to Arsenal. It was because I had played with him.”

11 games into the 22-year-old’s Arsenal career, the results haven’t been perfect for Gabriel so far, with four defeats on the record. But with eight wins and just two games conceding more than one goal, he’s clearly having a positive impact on the defence. Plus, he’s also put away two at the other end and has only one yellow card.

Given his age and inexperience in England, there could be plenty more to come.