Santos Striker Advises Young Players to Think Twice Before Joining Premier League

Santos striker Gabriel Barbosa has advised young Brazilian talents to think twice before moving to Europe, unless top clubs express interest.

Many of Brazil’s promising players have sought transfers to Europe, with Rayan being one of the latest to leave South America.

The 19-year-old transferred from Vasco de Gama to Bournemouth for around £24.7 million and scored in his first full match against Aston Villa on Saturday.

However, Barbosa believes young players should avoid moving unless it’s to a top-tier team. He stated that transfers to mid-level clubs in leagues like the Premier League or La Liga are not beneficial for their growth.

Barbosa himself joined Inter Milan in 2016 but found it hard to make a significant impact there. His loan spell at Benfica was also disappointing before he returned to Brazil.

“If you’re with a big Brazilian club and teams like Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Chelsea come calling, it’s important to go,” Barbosa said.

“But if it’s a 15th place team in La Liga or the Premier League, it’s better to stay with Palmeiras, Flamengo, or your current Brazilian club, where you can genuinely develop and compete at a high level.”