Brighton and Hove Albion will need to offer Flamengo at least another €10m if they are to tempt them into selling defender Wesley this summer.
That’s according to journalist Jorge Nicola, who reports that the Brazilian club want at least €30m for the 21-year-old.
A report yesterday in England stated that Brighton were pushing ahead with their attempts to sign Wesley, who is highly rated in Brazil. It claimed that they had already offered €20m to sign him this summer.
What was not clear in the UK was how Flamengo would treat the interest from Brighton and a the reported €20m they were ready to spend.
The news was quickly picked up in in Brazil and Flamengo director of football Jose Boto later gave an interview to Gazzetta dello Sport discussing the player.
He made it clear that €20m would not be enough to get a deal done, before referencing a €30m figure as his asking price. Nicola now says that is the figure the Brazilian club are looking for, explaining that they expect more bids to be arriving in the coming days, perhaps from Brighton.
“Judging by the fact that Flamengo is looking for at least €30m, it is clear that this offer will be rejected,” he said.
“It should be the first of many that Flamengo will receive in the coming days for the right back, who has been attracting attention and was even recently called up by Carlo Ancelotti for the Brazilian national team.
“José Boto, Flamengo’s executive director of football, gave an interview in the last few hours to Gazzetta dello Sport, an Italian newspaper, in which he said, quote, Wesley is ready for Europe, we will see after the World Cup, but we are not obliged to sell him, quote. In this interview, Boto said very clearly that he will not sell the player for less than €30m.”
