CHELSEA target Gabigol will fly to Milan this week for crunch talks with Inter over his next move.
The £20million-rated Brazilian striker has been strongly linked to Frank Lampard’s side as well as West Ham.
Gabigol is flying out to Italy to sort out his future with Chelsea keen on a moveCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Other reports have claimed the 23-year-old is close to agreeing a permanent move to loan club Flamengo.
The frontman’s future has long been up in the air and SunSport understands a number of clubs have enquired about his availability.
It is easy to see why after he scored 43 goals in 56 games for the Brazilian top-flight side last season.
But despite strong suggestions the Club World Cup runner-up will return to his homeland for good, nothing is certain yet.
Barbosa, nicknamed Gabigol, will jet from Brazil to Italy to thrash out terms over the nature of his departure from the Serie A club.
His loan move to Flamengo officially came to an end on December 31 last year and his Inter deal expires in the summer.
Chelsea immediately switched their attention to Barbosa after their transfer ban was lifted.
It was claimed they could be willing to offer Olivier Giroud to the Italian side as part of the deal to bring him to London.
Gabigol – who once dated Neymar’s sister – previously told SunSport about his desire to play in the Premier League.
He said: “I like the Premier League very much. It combines technique, strength and speed. I always follow the games from Brazil.
“It really is a place I would like to play. It’s one of the best leagues in the world.
“Every player dreams of being a champion and winning the Premier League must be indescribable.”
Gabigol was one of the hottest properties in world football when Inter signed him from Santos for £26m on his 20th birthday in 2016.
He won Olympic gold alongside Neymar at Rio 2016 and Ronaldo said he was destined to become one of the world’s greatest frontmen.
But his nickname was changed to Gabi-no-goal by then Inter boss Frank De Boer after he struggled to adapt to Serie A – even being crowned the league’s worst player.
But he has turned his career around since going back to his homeland and attracted the attention of the world’s biggest clubs.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
