Arsenal interested in signing Nicolas Pepe's former teammate?

Arsenal are reportedly interested in landing the signature of Nicolas Pepe's former teammate Gabriel next month.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is expected to pursue reinforcements at the turn of the year and the focus could mostly lie on improving the heart of the defence.

A number of big names including Kalidou Koulibaly and Dayot Upamecano have been mentioned in recent weeks but according to The Athletic, the Gunners hold an interest in signing Lille's Gabriel.

The 22-year-old has been one of the top performers for Lille over the past 18 months and in the current season, he has made 22 appearances including six in the Champions League group stage.

The Sao Paolo-born defender has only 18 months remaining on his existing deal with Lille and that could play into the hands of the Gunners, who could recruit him for a reduced price in January.

Arteta is likely to work with a limited budget for the winter transfer window and additional funds will have to be acquired from the sale of unwanted players within the current squad.