According to Fabrizio Romano, there are two Premier League clubs in for Brazilian wonderkid Matheus Franca.
The 18-year-old has been making waves over in South America for Flamengo, and there are apparently now two English teams in for the young attacker.
Newcastle United have been linked, so it’s fair to assume that they’re one of the clubs that Romano is alluding to, and while the other team remains unnamed, we have to theorise that Fulham are one of the teams in for Franca.
Indeed, if we know one thing about Fulham’s transfer policy in recent years it’s that they want to scour Brazil for the most talented players in South America – and they have had a particular interest in Flamengo players.
Rodrigo Muniz and Andreas Pereira were both signed off the back of spells with Flamengo, while Fulham have also been linked with young striker, Pedro, from the very same club.
Factor in that they’ve also been keen on Pablo Maia and Luizao from Sao Paulo, and it’s fair to assume that if there is a Premier League club sniffing around a Brazilian wonderkid, Fulham are likely to be that very side.
So, will Fulham sign Franca? Well, Romano says he could cost as much as £20m, and that is a sizeable fee for a club like the Whites, especially when Shahid Khan made numerous references to being close to the FFP limit this summer.
With Newcastle United reportedly keen and the Magpies being the richest club in the world, a move to St James’ Park may be more likely than a move to Craven Cottage in the January transfer window.
This remains a situation worth keeping an eye on.
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