West Ham United have reportedly been rebuffed in their attempts to sign Flamengo forward Gabriel Barbosa on a long-term loan deal.
According to Sport, West Ham United have been dealt with a fresh blow in their pursuit of Gabriel Barbosa. The east Londoners had tabled a loan offer worth €6 million that would have seen the attacker remain at London Stadium until December 2023. But the offer has been quickly rebuffed by Flamengo, who have no intention of offloading their star player on a loan deal.
The Brazilian giants are insistent that interested parties will have to pay Gabigol’s €33 million price tag if they are to secure his services in the January transfer window. On a positive note, the report does state that Premier League remains the likely destination for the forward, as he looks to take the next step in his career.
Formerly of Inter Milan, the 25-year-old has offered top performances since his return to Brazil in early 2019. He has been involved in 110 goals in just 124 competitive outings, helping Flamengo secure two back to back league titles and the Copa Libertadores in 2019. They were close to winning the coveted tournament in the most recent edition as well but lost the final to Palmeiras.
West Ham believe Gabigol can be an ideal solution to their attacking woes during the second half of the campaign. The Hammers are primarily searching for a strike partner for Michail Antonio. They have already been linked with a move for Ben Brereton, but with Blackburn Rovers keen on holding on to their star player, the Brazilian remains a priority.
Another club in contention to sign the Flamengo striker is Newcastle United. Tipped to sign Kieran Trippier within the coming days, the Magpies are prepared to utilise their financial muscle to upgrade their ranks in the other areas of the pitch. One would imagine Newcastle would even be able to meet Gabigol’s €33 million valuation.
In fact, the player himself is believed to be keen on joining Newcastle in January. He is not bothered by the club’s current position in the Premier League table and is even prepared to help the Tyneside outfit stave off relegation during the second half of the campaign, making them potentially the favourites in the race to sign the Brazilian.
However, West Ham can provide the added incentive of playing in the Europa League and may even give Newcastle a run for their money if they can pay the striker’s price tag this month.
