Gustavo Scarpa may ‘regret’ leaving Palmeiras for a new adventure in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, former Brazil international Edmundo says on his official YouTube channel.
It will certainly require a rather dramatic change of mindset.
Scarpa, during four years in the evergreen shirt of Palmeiras, has got used to the taste of champagne. He’s won no fewer than seven trophies since arriving from Fluminense in 2018, winning the Copa Libertadores (basically the South American Champions League) on two separate occasions.
So how will Scarpa adapt at a club who, following his winter arrival, are likely to spend the first half of 2023 looking backwards rather than forwards, glancing nervously over their shoulders at the relegation zone?
Has Gustavo Scarpa made the right call joining Nottingham Forest?
“Scarpa is a special situation. It’s very personal for him to want this adventure in European football,” says Edmundo.
“I think somehow he will regret it. Because for those who are used to winning things, playing in a team that will fight against relegation can be very frustrating.”
While there will be concerns over whether the 28-year-old, with his diminutive frame, can adapt to life in England, there are certainly no doubts about Scarpa’s raw talent.
“Scarpa is different. He has a low centre of gravity. He has creativity, and ‘solves that Rubik’s Cube’,” adds Edmundo, who played 40 times for Brazil. “He’s more than just a football player.”
One of the most creative attacking midfielders in South American football; Scarpa – after 20 assists during the 2021 season – is being tipped for a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad. Selecao coach Tite was full of praise for the pocket rocket earlier in the week.
Palmeiras, meanwhile, have already confirmed that Scarpa will join Nottingham Forest in January. With his current deal expiring, the playmaker has signed a pre-contract agreement with the City Ground outfit.
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