Hull City’s move for Gabriel Mec now appears to be approaching the point of no return. Fresh reports from Brazil claim the teenager is unlikely to play for Grêmio again.
The newly-promoted Premier League side have been advancing in talks for the 18-year-old. In addition, journalist Fábio Vargas now reports that the expectation behind the scenes is for Mec’s destination to be England.
According to the same source, the negotiation is worth around €20m (£17.2m). This also fits the package already reported in Brazil: €17m (£14.6m) fixed plus €3m (£2.6m) in bonuses.
Wrap on his season’s stats
If Gabriel Mec has indeed played his final game for Grêmio, he will leave Brazil having made 28 first-team appearances, playing 1,331 minutes while scoring three goals and providing two assists. Those numbers only tell part of the story, though.
In the Brazilian league alone, Mec produced 10 key passes and 12 shots, completed 76.7% of his passes and recorded an expected goal contribution (xGA) figure of 3.89 across just 14 appearances.
His all-round contribution also stands out. Mec averaged 2.94 successful dribbles, won 7.57 duels per game, registered 4.07 touches inside the opposition penalty area and contributed 3.22 defensive actions per match in the league.
That underlines why Grêmio – and now Hull – have viewed him as a player capable of influencing both sides of the game.
Hull deal very close
Until now, the deal had been described as advanced, with Hull offering a five-year contract and Grêmio analysing the details. The latest update suggests the Brazilian club are already working on the basis that Mec may not return to their team.
As we covered earlier, Grêmio had spent months trying to increase the player’s value, including work on a contract renewal until 2031. They were also aware of interest from bigger-name clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle and PSG. Hull, though, are the club putting the money forward.
If the final details are completed, Hull will be landing one of Brazil’s most highly-rated young attackers just as they prepare for life back in the Premier League.
