‘Gabriel not first Brazil centre back'

Arsene Wenger has revealed that Gabriel is not the first Brazilian centre back he has signed.

The manager’s first South American capture actually came in 1995 when he was in charge of Japanese side Nagoya Grampus Eight.

However, it was not until Wenger met the then 28-year-old that he realised the player was the son of a legendary World Cup winner.

“I have signed a Brazilian centre back before,” the manager said. “It was in Japan. I went to Sao Paulo and I signed a player called [Alexandre] Torres who was the son of Carlos Alberto. And he was a very good centre back.

“[He settled in Japan] very well. I went to watch another centre back and I got so many tapes that I watched them in the hotel and I saw him.

“I asked, ‘Who is he?’ The next day I said, ‘Bring this guy, I want to take him’, and the next day he came with a guy and I looked at him and said, ‘I know your face from somewhere’. His agent was Carlos Alberto, his father!”