Barcelona to Exercise Option to Sign Gustavo Maia

Gustavo Maia is heading to Spain…

FC Barcelona has exercised the option to sign the promising 19-year-old Brazilianstriker, according to ESPN.

Gustavo Maia

Earlier this year, Barcelonaagreed to pay €1 million to secure the first refusal on the Sao Paulo FC striker this summer, the Brazilian club’s director of football Alexandre Passaro confirmed.

Maia is expected to represent Barca B next season, where he’ll look to break into the first team.

Sao Paulo will retain 30% of Maia’s future sale. The operation will allow the Brazilian club to pay some of its debts related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Maia arrived at Sao Paulo at 14 and was tied to the club until 2022. He won seven titles with Sao Paulo’s youth teams and had his best season in 2018 when he scored 30 goals in 36 games.

The suspension of Brazilian football in March due to the pandemic prevented Maia from making his first team debut.

The versatile attacker, who can play on the left or through the middle, has been capped by Brazil at youth level.

His signing, once officially announced, will continue Barca’s aggressive pursuit of the best young talent from all over the world.