French football has a habit of producing stars from nowhere, especially when it comes to stars from South America. A recent example of this comes from Lille, where central defender Gabriel Magalhaes has gone from strength to strength since arriving in Europe. The defender has become a poster boy for rugged, technically sound football and has started to gain admiring galcnes from across the continent.
Constantly watching his own domestic league for potential talent, Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is supposed to have been very intrigued by a move for Magalhaes. Having long been linked with Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, it looks like a move to Madrid might come sooner than expected for the Brazilian central defender.
Having made a huge impact in France, Lille look set to cash in on a player deemed to be worth in excess of €30m. With Madrid likely having to put aside major ‘galactico’ style targets until the next summer, Magalhaes would offer a solid level of competition for the likes of Eder Militao and Sergio Ramos.
For now, the rumours are hinting that a move to Spain is the most likely move for the Brazilian. Zidane is a known fan and it would be a surprise to see Madrid fail to put in an official bid, such is the strength of their interest. However, other teams are circling, so Los Blancos might have to move fast to get their intended defensive target.
