Dharmesh Sheth has claimed that reported Aston Villa and Newcastle target, Gabriel Barbosa, compares his situation to Philippe Coutinho, as he told the Transfer Show on Sky Sports.
The Sky reporter claimed that the Flamengo striker sees Coutinho’s move from Inter Milan – where both players struggled – to England’s top-flight in 2013 as a ‘blueprint’ that he can also do the business in the Premier League.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the newly-rich Newcastle United are keen to sign him, but it has been suggested that they have been watching him for three years.
Although, it also seems Steven Gerrard and Aston Villa have also entered the race for the £30 million-rated hitman, alongside their Midland neighbours, Wolves, according to 90min.
It’s pretty clear that someone like Newcastle need more goals than Villa because they have Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings on their books.
Whilst the Magpies have their star man, Callum Wilson, in the injury room and the recently-revived, Joelinton, as their only recognised striker.
Nonetheless, this is what transfer expert, Sheth, had to say about the transfer noise around Barbosa, who is nicknamed ‘Gabigol’.
“He compares himself, not as a playing style, but the situation Philippe Coutinho had at Inter,” said Sheth.
“Both players, Gabigol and Coutinho, had spells at Inter Milan. But both didn’t get the opportunities that they wanted at Inter Milan. Then you saw Coutinho move from Inter to England and with Liverpool. And really shine.
“Gabriel Barbosa sees that as a blueprint. Look Coutinho moves from Inter to Liverpool and showed what he was worth. He feels there is a bit of unfinished business in European football.
Barbosa did dip his footballing talents into Italian and Portuguese football, but he hardly got any game time for him to prove his worth.
From then, he returned to Flamengo and Brazil’s top-flight, including scoring 29 goals in all competitions last season.
The Brazil international scored in the Copa Libertadores final in November – the equivalent of the Champions League – as his side were beaten 2-1 by Palmeiras in extra time.
And he clearly feels, his 11 goals during that tournament, prove that he’s too good for the environment that he now wants to test himself against the best of the best.
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