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Arsenal submit £15m+ offer for striker Gabriel Barbosa

By on June 27, 2016

According to ESPN Brazil, Arsenal have an offer worth in excess of £15m on the table for Santos striker Gabriel Barbosa and the Brazilian wonderkid is tempted by a move to London.

Arsene Wenger is on the market for another striker to support Olivier Giroud next season and the boss has been forced to look at alternative targets after missing out on Jamie Vardy – who agreed a new deal with Leicester last week.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku and Alexandre Lacazette have been strongly linked in the media over the past couple of days but it looks as though Wenger is also looking a little further afield in his search for a new front-man.

The Mirror reported earlier this month that Arsenal were interested in signing Brazil’s next hot talent Gabriel Barbosa – aka Gabigol – and it seems we’ve now formalised our interest with a firm offer.

That’s because ESPN Brazil are reporting today that Arsenal are one of three clubs who’ve put offers on the table for the 19-year-old Santos striker, the others being Fiorentina and Chinese outfit Hebei Fortune.

The striker confirmed that ‘big’ European clubs are interested but he’s in no rush to leave Santos.

“I have proposed that please me big European clubs, yes, but that’s with my parents, my business, but I’m happy at Santos. This will be resolved soon. Santos is my home, my place, but let’s take it easy to decide, “Barbosa is quoted as saying by ESPN

The report claims that Gabigol’s release clause is set at around £15m (€18m) but oddly they suggest that Arsenal’s offer if actually higher than that figure. I have no idea why we’d table an offer higher than a release clause, but that’s what ESPN claim.

The teenager has already rejected the move to China so it looks like it’s between us and Fiorentina and the report suggests that Gabigol is interested in joining Arsenal because we’re one of Europe’s elite clubs.

However, ESPN Brazil say that Britain’s decision to exit the EU could affect the proposed transfer, possibly because of the falling value of the pound. Arsene suggested over the weekend that he was planning to hold-fire on completing any deals until the pound stabalised so it doesn’t look like anything will happen imminently.

Another possible stumbling block could be the fact that player’s economic rights are divided between Santos, with 40%, Doyen Sports, with 20%, and the athlete himself, 40%, and these types of deals are always extremely difficult to pull off.

Belgian star wants Arsenal move but Wenger reluctant to meet £50m asking price

Barbosa is regarded as one of Brazil’s hottest young talents and has scored 50 goals in his 150 appearances for Santos so far since breaking in to the first team in 2013, so it’s easy to see why he’s drawing comparisons to Neymar.

He’s a versatile forward who’s capable of playing either our wide on the wings or through the middle as a striker so he’d offer plenty of options in the final third if he was to make the move to Arsenal.