Leicester make approach for Barbosa, agent discussion set

If it hasn’t become obvious already, Leicester City are very actively pursuing a left-footed attacking midfielder/forward, with a previously linked player resurfacing after four years.

Gabriel Barbosa, now of Brazilian team, Flamengo, is once again being linked with a move to Leicester City four years after the initial rumour began in 2016. The 24-year-old, then 19 years of age, had just enjoyed a fruitful spell with the club he’d played for since the age of eight, Santos.

This prompted the Foxes to apparently offer £23m for the Brazilian forward, to no avail. Instead, Barbosa joined Inter Milan in the same year, for £26.55m. In two years with the Italian giants, he managed just nine appearances, before being loaned to Portuguese side, Benfica.

This began a chain of loan moves, which saw him return to his boyhood club, Santos, and also play for Flamengo. In seven years of club football, Barbosa enjoyed his best spell to date during his loan spell with Flamengo. In 29 appearances, he scored 24 goals and registered nine assists.

Bruno Spindel, the sporting director of Flamengo, decided to secure his services on a permanent basis – which cost the Brazilian club £15.71m in January of this year. In 551 minutes this season, Barbosa has scored four goals, continuing his good-run of goal-scoring.

The apparent interest from Leicester City raises a couple of interesting ideas, will he be utilised as a second-striker – accompanying Jamie Vardy, or is he being brought in to play a similar role to Ayoze Pérez (a striker playing out-wide)? The difference between himself and the Spaniard is that he’s left-footed, which is becoming an upmost priority for the Foxes.

When compared to Vardy, he’s not quite as efficient in-front of goal – the Brazilian averages 2.14 shots on target per 90 over the last two seasons, which has seen him score 28 goals in 34 matches. Meaning he’s scoring a goal every 2.64 shots on target – which is very good.

In comparison, Vardy is exceptional. The 33-year-old, is averaging a goal every 1.67 shots on target over the last two seasons. This isn’t just a recent phenomenon, the England-international has historically been very efficient in-front of goal.  I anticipate this would be the role he’s being pursued for, as his performances on the right aren’t of an equal level to him as a striker – he last played there in 2018 for Santos.

It’s supposed that it would require a fee of close to £29m to sign the Brazilian, which could be worth it. He’s got a promising future, although he has shown a lack of maturity throughout his career. However, Brendan Rodgers has a good record with youngsters – getting the best out of Raheem Sterling during his time at Liverpool. The difference being Sterling was already a matured individual, he just needed to become tactically mature, the same can’t be said for Barbosa.

There’s definitely positives to signing Barbosa, but, I feel the fee it would require isn’t worthwhile for Leicester. There’s more assured options the Foxes should be looking at signing.