adminLONDON. — Arsenal’s new signing Gabriel Paulista could make his English Premier League soccer debut against Aston Villa but leading goalscorer Alexis Sanchez is not likely to be risked with a hamstring injury, manager Arsene Wenger said yesterday.
Wenger has also hinted Arsenal’s transfer business is finished after the capture of Paulista.
The transfer window shuts on Monday night, but having signed Gabriel and Krystian Bielik, Wenger – who says Francis Coquelin is “99 percent” certain to sign a new contract — says his chequebook is now likely to stay closed.
The 24-year-old defender Paulista joined the Gunners from Spanish side Villarreal earlier this week and Wenger is confident the Brazilian will provide stiff competition for first-choice central defenders Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.
“He’s ready to go. He’ll be in the squad, certainly,” Wenger told a news conference.
“Maybe it will take some time to adapt completely, but overall it is very good to have him.
“This season he has played every game for Villarreal and we have seen him many times. We are convinced about his quality.
“He is very ambitious, focused and serious. That is important at a club like ours — you need to have a complete focus on your job. He has that. I like the players who come from nowhere and show they can adapt.
“From Brazil, he has (then) adapted to Spain. That means he has already made it and adapted in another country, and so that is another important quality.” — The Mirror.
Online Reporter