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Name: Gabriel Paulista
Current Club: Villarreal (La Liga)
International Career: Has not won a single international cap for Brazil.
Position: Central defender, and also spells in left back from time to time.
FIFA video game rating: 72, but with the potential to get to 82. (Though that International Reputation of "very bad" is a bit worrisome. Is there a level below that, like "awful" or "stinks out loud?")
Transfermarkt value: Currently rated at 3 million euros, which translates to £2.3 million, though there's a report that he has a release clause at a slightly-more-than-that 20 million euros.
Why we're taking a look-see: According to reports yesterday, Arsenal's considering Gabriel as a potential January signing to help with the current defensive platoon situation the team's facing in light of the Mathieu Debuchy injury.
What WhoScored thinks of him: This year, he's averaging a 7.25 in Europa league matches and a 7.11 in La Liga matches. Last month, he was one of the better-rated players in a 1-0 takedown of Atletico Madrid.
What he looks like in edited-for-maximum-oooooh-factor video: Gonna apologize in advance for the music.
Spendy McWarchester Excitement Level (SMEL) Index: 3 of 10 Bags-o'-Euros, as he seems more of a stealthy Koscielny-like buy as opposed to a bring-all-the-trumpets Marcus Rojo signing.
Our two pence: Reportedly very talented, and could be a sneaky good buy -- except that if there really is a 20 million euro release clause, that's an indication that Villarreal is already aware of the value they have. (Though it seems that Gabriel, if he's so good, could be utilized by a Brazilian national team that put on the opposite of a clinic in the last World Cup.) There also seems to be a Gabriel vs. Otamendi debate brewing among people who might just be following January transfer rumors way too closely. Still, though, a discussion of defender depth and Gabriel being involved in this is more sober than, say, Cavani talk.