Fulham are closing in on the signing of Flamengo striker Rodrigo Muniz according to O Dia, with the Championship outfit now offering £5 million up front.
The Marco Silva reign is certainly underway now, with Liverpool winger Harry Wilson and former Tottenham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga arriving on Saturday in a welcome boost to a squad already expected to challenge for automatic promotion next season.
And a deal for Silva’s number one transfer target also appears to be heading in the right direction.
Reports coming out of Brazil last week claimed that the former Everton and Watford manager had identified 20-year-old Muniz as his top choice to lead the line at Craven Cottage in 2020/21.
Apparently, Silva sees shades of Richarlison in a man who has also been the subject of enquiries from Al-Nassr, Genk and Diego Simeone’s La Liga champions Atletico Madrid.
And Flamengo wasted little time in making their stance clear; either you pay now or risk missing out on a player who has no shortage of suitors elsewhere in Europe.
Has Flamengo striker Rodrigo Muniz chosen the right Championship club?
It seems that Silva and co have heeded that warning, returning with a far more palatable bid for a man who has scored three times in nine Brazilian Serie A matches so far this season.
Fulham have now offered £5 million, plus add-ons. It is understood that Muniz has also agreed a five-year contract at Craven Cottage, turning down Middlesbrough in favour of a move to the English capital.
And Fulham will have Silva to thank if Muniz is making his Championship debut in white and black during their Championship opener against – ironically enough – Middlesbrough on August 8.
The one-time Porto and Olympiakos coach went so far as to call Muniz’s representatives, expressing his desire to work with the highly-rated centre-forward at his new club.
And that personal touch has had the desired effect, it seems.
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