According to the latest reports from TeamTalk as cited by Stoke Live, Leeds United are in the mix to sign Brazilian teen sensation Gabriel Martinelli. The 17-year-old is a forward, and he currently plies his trade for Brazilian outfit Ituano.
The report also adds that Middlesbrough and Watford are also in the mix for this teen forward and former Brazil international and Boro favourite, Juninho Paulista informed his former club about the progress of Martinelli.
The youngster is rated at £10m, and we doubt a club like Leeds United would take a gamble of paying such an exorbitant price for an unproven player. It is clear that he is highly rated in Brazil but the Whites cannot afford to make a dud signing for that amount.
Youngsters under Marcelo Bielsa have thrived at Elland Road, and the gaffer hasn’t been afraid to give them big responsibilities. United have been marred by injuries throughout their campaign but the Argentine manager stuck to his guns about finding a solution with the options he had instead of diving into the transfer market and signing multiple players.
Globo Esporte last month reported that Martinelli had a trial with Barcelona and they want the youngster in the summer. Therefore we don’t see United competing with Barcelona for the signature of a young player. Moreover, we often see South American players preferring a move to Spain over other countries, so the Whites’ chances look dim at the moment.
United need to progress to the Premier League to have any chances of luring this player. With the riches of the Premier League, maybe the Whites might be willing to shell out the reported amount for the young forward. However, the West Yorkshire outfit would be better off signing players who could create an instant impact and are proven at the top level if they want to stay in the Premier League (Assuming they move to the Premier League in the first place by next season).
Like all Brazilian, Martinelli has a flair to his game, and he definitely has a high ceiling in terms of potential. Someone like Bielsa can bring the best out of him. However, with a heavyweight club like Barcelona and a Premier League club like Watford interested, we don’t see the Whites pulling off this move. We would assume someone like Middlesbrough also might have an edge as Juninho is currently the President of Brazilian outfit Ituano.
