Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Gabriel Paulista following his exit from Valencia.
On Wednesday, Valencia revealed that they had come to an agreement with the experienced centre-back to terminate his contract, five months before it was due to an end.
Besiktas had been linked with the 33-year-old, but interest from Atletico is believed to have strengthened earlier this week, and it has now been announced that he has made the move to Wanda Metropolitano.
Paulista, who arrived at Valencia from Arsenal in 2017, has signed a deal with Atletico until the end of the campaign.
"Gabriel Paulista is a new Atletico de Madrid player after signing until the end of the season. The Spanish-Brazilian defender passed the medical examination at the Vithas Madrid Arturo Soria University Hospital and after that, signed his contract," read a statement on the capital club's official website.
G. PAULISTA 4️⃣❤️🤍#BienvenidoPaulista pic.twitter.com/qry4vE6XX7
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) January 31, 2024
"It is a new challenge for me, for my family, but with an incredible feeling of being able to be with this shirt, which is a very big shirt," Paulista said upon the completion of his move.
"It was an offer from a big club in Europe. That has been a source of pride for me, to be able to awaken the interest of great teams. It's impossible to think about something like this twice.
"They have a very passionate fan base, which pushes a lot, and now that I'm here I hope to feel it from within, because it is my new home. The short time I have been in this club I have already seen that people are very loving, that people try to help as much as possible. I will also try to help everyone on the field.
"I am going to continue maintaining what I have been doing so far this season. I hope to improve what I have to improve, what the coach asks of me. Work a lot. On the field I am going to fight until the final minute. I know that I am on a team with players with a lot of drive."
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Paulista also revealed that he cannot wait to play under Atletico boss Diego Simeone.
"He is a coach who plays with the team and that helps the players a lot, and I am prepared to meet him in person. To see how he really works, to see what he is like. To see his way of being within the games," he added.
Paulista leaves Valencia having made 220 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring eight goals and registering five assists in the process.
The Brazilian has been a regular for Los Che this season, making 19 appearances, including 18 outings in La Liga, and he could make his debut for Simeone's side in Sunday's Madrid derby with Real Madrid.
Matt Law
