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Paulista 'granted work permit for Arsenal move'

Gabriel Paulista has been granted a work permit ahead of his proposed move from Villarreal to Arsenal, according to reports.

The two clubs reached an agreement for the transfer of Gabriel, 24, on Saturday, with Joel Campbell set to move to the La Liga side on loan until the end of the season as part of the deal.

Arsenal had been required to convince an FA hearing that the defender is an ''exceptional talent" as he does not meet the current required international criteria for a UK work permit due to not having yet represented Brazil at senior level.

However, Arsenal have now received formal Home Office approval for Gabriel's work permit, the Daily Telegraph reports, with the former Vitoria man now undergoing a medical at the club's London Colney training base.

A final fee of £11.3 million is said to have been agreed with Villarreal and the deal is set to be announced imminently, subject to the player passing his medical.

A new set of regulations have been proposed for next season in a bid to reduce the number of non-European Union passport holders within the English domestic game.

The changes, backed by FA chairman Greg Dyke, would see the current requirement of a player having taken part in 75 percent of internationals over the past two years if their country is ranked within the top 70 tightened, but would also allow an exception for any transfers over £10 million.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has long championed the complete freedom of movement for talented players, no matter what their passport says, and believes there is an argument to make football a special case to scrap all the government red tape.

"Ideally it would open completely, and anyone can come in," the Frenchman said on Thursday.

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