Barcelona beats Liverpool to the signing of Sao Paulo starlet Gustavo Maia

According to Spanish publication Marca (h/t Daily Mail), Barcelona have moved quickly to beat Liverpool and Atletico Madrid to the signing of Sao Paulo starter Gustavo Maia.

The Catalans have agreed to pay an initial fee of around £1million. This will be followed by a further £3.2m to secure 70% ownership of the 19-year-old centre-forward.

Barcelona were supposed to work the deal out later. However, following interest from their rivals, have decided to act quickly to avoid losing out on the player.

The player’s agent confirmed that the player was indeed scouted by the Nou Camp outfit. He also went on to reveal that negotiations have taken place directly with the club.

“They did not even intend to close anything now but since there was interest from other clubs such as Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, they hurried.”

A Brazilian youth international at the Under 16 and Under 17 levels, Maia’s contract at Sao Paulo runs until 2022. The Brazilians will still hold a 30% stake in the player following his move.

According to a report by AS (h/t Daily Mail), Barcelona was supposed to pay the initial fee on Wednesday. It has now been delayed due to adjustments in their finances during the postponement of sporting activities during the prevailing pandemic. In spite of the delay, the deal is expected to go through.

We move on!

It is unfortunate that we have missed out on a target, especially one who costs as low as Maia does. In spite of losing out here, there will be other players we are interested in.

The fact that we forced a club such as Barcelona fear losing out on their target shows how far we have come under Klopp. Liverpool is no longer a stepping stone but rather a destination where players can compete once again for the highest honours.

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The Reds are currently dealing with the suspension of the Premier League by staying in self-isolation. Liverpool require just six more points to guarantee the title. Let’s hope the season can be completed to give us a victory we richly deserve.