Nottingham Forest have fought off competition from Brazil’s biggest clubs to sign Gustavo Scarpa with the Palmeiras playmaker enthused by the prospect of a fresh start in the Premier League, Brazilian reporter Jorge Nicola says on his YouTube show.
While making Omar Richards and Neco Williams signings five and six of an already busy summer at the City Ground, it seems that Nottingham Forest have already laid the foundations for their first deal of 2022.
Once-capped Brazil international Scarpa will be a free-agent on January 1st.
And reports over the weekend emerged claiming that the two-time European champions had shook hands on a pre-contract agreement with the 28-year-old schemer; One that would see him become a Forest player on the first day of the winter window.
And Nicola, after doing some digging of his own, can now confirm that the rumours are, indeed, based in fact.
Nottingham Forest agree Gustavo Scarpa deal with Palmeiras
“I took this information and I took it to an agent I trust from Palmeiras. After some time, this agent came back to me with the statement; ‘Yes, representatives of Nottingham Forest have looked at Palmeiras’,” says one of South America’s most respected reporters.
“(Forest) already have an agreement with Gustavo Scarpa. This agreement is from January next year.
“Palmeiras was already warned about the advanced negotiations between Scarpa and Nottingham Forest. What will happen is that he will leave Palmeiras without earning them a penny. He will arrive at no cost.”
Scarpa earns £20,000-a-week at Palmeiras. But, as Nicola points out, his decision to join Nottingham Forest over a number of Brazilian giants is not down to the money on offer at the City Ground but the opportunity to make a name for himself on the other side of the Atlantic.
Scarpa will turn 29 in the New Year after all. Opportunities like this might not come around again.
A once in a lifetime chance?
“At the beginning of the negotiations for a contract extension, Scarpa made it very clear to the leaders of Palmeiras that his priority was to move to Europe,” Nicola adds. “He will move to a Premier League team; The biggest league in the world.
“The news also frustrates several Brazilian clubs; Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro and Sao Paulo were attentive to the situation. If there were no proposals (from Europe) there preference would have been to extend (with Palmeiras).”
An elegant, inventive and two-footed playmaker, Scarpa has eight goals and eight assists to his name this season. Palmeiras are expected to bring in River Plate’s Nicolas de la Cruz as his replacement.
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