Valencia eyeing deal for Arsenal defender

Spanish club Valencia are reportedly leading the race to sign Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel this summer. The 26-year-old is currently recovering from a knee injury sustained in the final Premier League game against Everton last season.

Gabriel has had a stop-start career with the Gunners with injuries and the added competition restricting his place in the starting lineup. According to The Sun, Los Che are plotting a move for the former Villareal man with manager Marcelino looking for recruits fluent in the Spanish language.

The centre-back has had a language barrier during his time in England, and he could be allowed to return to La Liga for a fee of around £10m. Arsene Wenger has recently talked about the need to trim his first-team squad, and Gabriel could be one of the many exits from the Emirates before this month's transfer deadline.

Gabriel has racked in 64 appearances for the north London giants since arriving from the Yellow Submarines in the winter of 2015. He earned his maiden Brazilian call-up back in March 2015, but he failed to get onto the pitch.