Nottingham Forest and Everton are both keeping an eye on Grêmio defender Gustavo Martins, but getting him out of Brazil could prove expensive.
The 24-year-old centre-back is reportedly valued at €12-15m (£10-12.5m) by his club. That’s quite a jump from the figures being discussed when another European side tried to sign him earlier this year.
And there’s an interesting story behind that failed move.
Nottingham Forest and Everton enter the picture
According to German outlet Fussballeuropa, Martins is on the transfer lists of both Premier League clubs ahead of the January window.
The publication says the Brazilian is interested in experiencing football abroad, having spent virtually his entire career at Grêmio.
He’s been there since joining their academy in 2018 and has now made more than 100 senior appearances.
Standing at 1.91m, Martins has the physical presence you’d expect from a Brazilian centre-back of his size. What apparently makes him stand out is his pace and mobility.
He’s also developed a habit of scoring unusual goals. Overhead kicks, backheels, powerful headers – the German outlet certainly seems impressed by his attacking contributions.
There’s no mention of offers or negotiations involving Forest or Everton just yet. The reported €12-15m (£10-12.5m) valuation, though, gives both clubs an idea of what they might be dealing with.
Shakhtar Donetsk almost signed him for considerably less
Here’s where things get interesting. Back in September, Brazilian journalist Kaliel Dorneles revealed that Shakhtar Donetsk had been preparing a move for Martins during the previous transfer window.
The Ukrainian club had indicated they were willing to pay €7m (£5.8m). They were reportedly preparing to formalise that offer when the defender suffered an injury.
That was enough to kill the deal. The injury itself wasn’t especially serious. Globo Esporte reported in August that Martins had suffered muscular swelling in his left thigh.
He returned before the end of that month and even scored twice against Chapecoense.
Still, the timing cost him a potential move to Europe. A few months later, Forest and Everton are being linked with him at almost twice the price Shakhtar had contemplated paying.
Grêmio have their own plans for Martins
There’s another complication for the English clubs. In September, Brazilian newspaper Zero Hora reported that Grêmio were working on a contract extension for Martins.
His existing deal runs until December 2027, and the club wanted to add another three years. The defender had established himself as a regular starter, making a new contract a priority.
For Forest and Everton, the first question may be whether Grêmio would genuinely hold out for that amount. The previous interest suggests Martins has attracted buyers before, but nobody has actually managed to take him away from Porto Alegre.
