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For any of you Arsenal fans who are concerned about the lack of confirmed signings so far in this transfer window, fear not. We all know that Arsene Wenger doesn’t deal until at least mid-afternoon on transfer deadline day!

Actually he has got one over the line already as the club has announced the signing of Gabriel Paulista from Villarreal:

Arsenal have signed Brazilian defender Gabriel from Villarreal, with Joel Campbell agreeing a new long-term deal prior to a loan move to the La Liga side.

So it looks as if Arsenal have done this one ahead of schedule. Arsenal have been tracking Paulista all month but it appeared to be a complicated deal that would go down to the wire.

At 24 the Brazilian hasn’t represented his country and many thought that a work permit would be hard to come by. But that has been granted in quick time and reports today suggest that, rather surprisingly, he may even make the team for the game against Aston Villa on Sunday (Kick Off 1330). The Mirror states:

Gabriel Paulista is being fast tracked into the Arsenal first team.

£15million defender Paulista, 24, flew to Paris on Tuesday to complete the legal requirements surrounding his transfer and speed up the process of getting him a work permit.

The Gunners are hopeful that the Brazilian’s whistle-stop trip to France will make him available for Sunday’s home game with Aston Villa.

With Per Mertesacker looking badly on the wane, Arsenal are desperate for new blood in that defence. We have always championed the performances of Calum Chambers and would have no compunction with throwing him in the side ahead of the German.

But Paulista will hopefully offer a more experienced option in there and add some much needed pace to the defence.

We shouldn’t judge the lad straight away of course. He has to be given a little time to assimilate into a pacy and physical league in which he has no experience. He may get his pants pulled down a few times to start with but we like the look of him and think Arsenal would be a better team with him in it on Sunday.

Arsenal fans: Would you throw Paulista straight in to the team given the chance?