In-demand Brazilian forward Gabigol continues to attract interest from a host of Premier League sides, with Arsenal, Newcastle and West Ham United keen.
According to 90Min, Gabriel Barbosa, aka Gabigol’s, demand is soaring in Europe as many sides are expressing an interest in signing the Brazilian forward. A host of Premier League sides, including Newcastle United, Arsenal and West Ham United, are looking at the former Inter Milan ahead of the January window.
Gabigol was directly compared to Neymar for his talent and proved everyone right with his performances for Santos early in his career. Those displays earned him a big move to Inter Milan who paid €30 million for his services. In Italy, the Brazilian flopped miserably, while a loan move to Benfica could not help him revive his career.
He returned to Brazil with boyhood club Santos and then later joined Flamengo on a permanent move. Since he donned their shirt, Gabigol has helped win the side consecutive league titles and the Copa Libertadores. The forward seems to have returned to optimal form and looks like a renewed player.
There’s plenty of interest from Italy, Spain, and England, showing the Brazilian’s demand in the European market. While a decent player rarely becomes available in the January window, clubs might pounce at the chance of Gabigol if he agrees to a move back.
While there is an understanding he might not want an Italy return, the Premier League could be an attractive destination to further his career. While Everton were reportedly interested in the summer, they may not be in the race on current circumstances, although Arsenal, West Ham and Newcastle might be.
The Gunners are on the lookout for a new striker in the summer. But if they happen to sell Alexandre Lacazette in January, Mikel Arteta will certainly need a quality replacement. At 25, Gabigol represents a long-term solution to the frontline problem. After links to Dusan Vlahovic and now Gabigol, it would seem like the Gunners are on the lookout for a left-footed forward, something they lack currently.
Joining them are Newcastle United, who are desperate to bring in quality players, including a different striker in the January window. With the team languishing in the Premier League’s relegation zone, it’s hard to convince players to join them despite the financial viability of any possible deal.
They are linked with Gabigol and could certainly afford any price Flamengo might demand for their in-form striker. However, the Brazilian forward has plenty of interest from other sides, which could be tempting from a sporting point of view.
One of which could be a possible move to West Ham United. David Moyes wants a quality forward to compete with Michail Antonio, who has struggled at times with fitness. With a long season to go, the manager would like to have a player of Gabigol’s quality to help them see the season through and achieve success on many fronts.
The striker will certainly have the luxury of choosing one of those sides or even more when the January window opens up. It remains to be seen if he feels ready for the challenge of the Premier League or decides to join a Spanish or any other European side.