West Ham United continue to be linked with Gabriel Barbosa.
According to FC Inter News, forward Gabriel Barbosa has asked agent Kia Joorabchian to halt talks with West Ham United about a January move.
Barbosa, known as ‘Gabigol’ in Brazil, was touted as the ‘next Neymar’ at Santos after hitting 56 goals in 154 games for the Brazilian side.
A big European move to Inter Milan in 2016 hasn’t paid off though, and after also struggling out on loan at Benfica, he headed back to Brazil with Santos earlier this year.
With 27 goals in 53 games back at his former club, Barbosa has impressed back with Santos, and Inter are now seemingly ready to let him go this month in order for him to start afresh elsewhere.
West Ham have been leading the race, but FC Inter News report that Barbosa has now told agent Kia Joorabchian – familiar to West Ham fans after his involvement in signing Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano – to halt talks with the Hammers.
It’s claimed that Barbosa still thinks he can have a future at Inter, and doesn’t want to commit to another club before he can talk to Inter boss Walter Spalletti on January 7th when he returns to Italy.
That may leave West Ham in limbo over Barbosa, and it remains to be seen whether Manuel Pellegrini and co are willing to wait for the 22-year-old or, or move on to another target.
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