AC Milan, Inter and Juventus have all reportedly set their sights on an exciting talent from Brazil, with Vasco de Gama winger Paulinho said to be on their radars.
It’s undoubtedly a difficult job for scouts to assess young players in Brazil, as while some have gone on to enjoy stellar careers in Europe, there have been many instances in which others have struggled to settle.
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Particularly in this case with Paulinho still only 17, it’s surely still too early in his career to determine whether or not he will go on to be a star performer.
According to Calciomercato though, via the paper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan, Inter and Juventus are all keen on him along with Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid, with Vasco said to be demanding €30m for their prized asset, as per his release clause.
That’s a lot of money for an untested young Brazilian talent, although he has bagged two goals and two assists in just six games in the Copa Libertadores this season.
From a Milan perspective in particular, they are certainly looking at the right area of their squad to bolster as Gennaro Gattuso is undoubtedly short in the wide positions.
Suso and Hakan Calhanoglu have rarely been rested this season due to a lack of quality depth behind them, and while they’re both technically gifted and dangerous in their own right, the Rossoneri haven’t got any pace in their attacking line-up to change the tempo and offer a different dynamic in the final third.
As a result, Paulinho could address that problem. However, the Italian giants would surely be better off going with a proven option for that kind of money.
However, with such big European clubs linked with the Brazilian starlet, not only is competition fierce but perhaps it’s a sign of how highly regarded he is even at such an early stage in his career.