Remember the time when Liverpool signed a young player called Philippe Coutinho from Inter Milan for a nominal transfer fee? The kid with an afro back then has grown into a superstar at Anfield now becoming one of the biggest success stories in recent years. A very similar story could very well be on the cards in January. Brazil’s wonder boy Gabriel Barbosa is reportedly unhappy with his lack of playing time at San Siro and Liverpool could take advantage of the situation.
The 20-year-old moved to the San Siro for a whopping €30million transfer fee in the summer but has had just 16 minutes of Serie A action thus far. There are many players who have found life hard in Serie A over the years. Coutinho also faced the same but his quality was too good to for just the bench and eventually, he made it big at Liverpool.
Liverpool have a pretty good team but their attacking flair has been hampered due to injuries. With Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings and Philippe Coutinho out injured, a 17-year-old Ben Woodburn was the only option they had on the bench in the last game against Middlesbrough. Lack of options could damage their title chances and Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp won’t want to take any chance. On top of all these, Sadio Mane will be unavailable in January due to his national commitments.
Gabigol got his football education from the famed academy of Santos which has produced players like Pelé, Robinho, Diego Ribas, Ganso, and Neymar in the past. Barbosa is the newest kid on the block and was always destined to reach dizzy heights. Even though Barbosa is often touted as ‘the next Neymar’, he resembles former Kop hero Luis Suarez more than his compatriot Neymar in terms of his style.
A gifted forward with an excellent burst of pace and a brilliant technique, he is more of a complete forward. An out and out poacher will not fit the way how Liverpool play right now under Klopp. They need a forward who can work hard for the team rather than just scoring goals and Gabigol fits the bill. The Brazilian’s composure and maturity belie his age. Unlike most other forwards, Gabigol is not just a prolific finisher but someone who can create goals as well.
With his flamboyance, dribbling skills, amazing technique, vision and all-around ability, Gabigol has everything to become one of the best in the world in coming years. Unlike most Brazilian players, he also is blessed with a solid physique and shouldn’t find it hard to impress in the Premier League.
