As Fulham continue to be presented as the most likely contenders to sign Pablo Maia from São Paulo, we get to see a couple of stories in the Brazilian media saying the Tricolor are getting ready to sell the midfielder.
One of those pieces comes from UOL, who claim the South American side are ‘preparing for the possible loss’ of the 20-year-old, as they are already working on a new signing for his position.
It’s recalled that Maia was once a target for Fulham, with a €7.5m offer being rejected, and his staff now plan to keep him at São Paulo until the middle of the year before getting a move to Europe.
Another source with interesting news on Maia’s future is Gazeta Esportiva. They bring quotes from Tricolor director Carlos Belmonte, who in a board meeting on Monday, made it clear that English clubs are being serious about signing the midfielder, with the Brazilian side holding him as much as they can.
“Today I’m not afraid to say that Pablo Maia is our most coveted player in the squad right now. Pablo Maia, we have surveys almost daily, mainly from English football, because English football understands that he adapts very well to the English game.
“He’s a very valuable player today, and I can assure you that we have already turned down important proposals for Pablo Maia, but that we are betting that he will be worth much more from this season onwards.”
Gazeta Esportiva writes that São Paulo plan a ‘millionaire sale’ in the near future, and Fulham are one of the ‘most interested’ in his signing.