Arsenal star Gabriel Maglhaes has, on Saturday evening, taken to social media to leap to the defence of teammate Eddie Nketiah.
The name of hitman Nketiah, of course, has taken its place front and centre in the headlines on the red half of north London across the day to date.
This comes with the 23-year-old, just months on from looking a near certainty to call time on his Arsenal stint, having opted to put pen to paper on fresh terms at the Emirates.
Ahead of the expiration of his previous contract at the end of the month, Nketiah has committed his long-term future to Mikel Arteta’s side, by means of a new deal through the summer of 2027.
Just as noteworthy, though, was the new squad number afforded to the striker.
After making the move to Arsenal at the age of 14, those in a position of power at the club saw it fitting to hand Nketiah the number 14 shirt, vacant since the January departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Ready for a new chapter 🤝
From joining us aged 14, to wearing No. 14 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/CGqMUkVnv0
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) June 18, 2022
Many of a Gunners persuasion, though, were quick to make their feelings clear regarding this decision.
The number 14 holds considerable weight amongst Arsenal’s fanbase, owing to the status of another of its previous owners, in the form of club icon and record goalscorer Thierry Henry.
Sections of fans, in turn, felt it appropriate to air their opinions that Nketiah is unworthy of not only his new squad number, but new contract, too.
And, as alluded to above, one fellow member of Mikel Arteta’s ranks who has since not been shy in sniping back at such supporters comes in the form of Gabriel Magalhaes.
Taking to his official Twitter account on Saturday evening, Brazilian international Gabriel leapt to Nketiah’s defence, labelling those to have taken aim at his teammate as altogether ‘ungrateful’.
how can you be so ungrateful! OMG 🙃
— Gabriel Magalhaes (@biel_m04) June 18, 2022
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