Chelsea to battle Atletico Madrid for Brazilian star - Reports

According to Brazilian news outlet UOL, Chelsea are monitoring Palmeiras midfielder Gabriel Menino and are interested in a summer move for him.

Gabriel Menino is one of the young stars who have taken the Brazilian Serie A by storm. The 20-year-old has already made 59 senior appearances for Palmeiras since making his debut. He was called up to the Brazilian national team back in September after a stellar campaign for his club last term.

His superb performances in the Brazilian top flight have caught the eye of several top clubs across Europe, most notably Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea are interested in signing Palmeiras 20-year old midfielder Gabriel Menino, according to UOL Esporte.More here....https://t.co/GAwzSATFSe pic.twitter.com/XqhDMHiQGz

— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) March 16, 2021

While Atletico Madrid have been strongly linked with the midfielder, Chelsea are reportedly ready to battle the La Liga leaders in the race for his signature

Chelsea are looking to bolster their squad in the summer and Menino, who can feature efficiently in both midfield and as a right-back, has emerged as a potential target.

Atletico Madrid frontrunners in race for Gabriel Menino's signature

Gabriel Menino is one of the young stars who have taken the Brazilian Serie A by storm

Atletico Madrid are reportedly the frontrunners in the race for Gabriel Menino. However, they will need to balance their accounts due to Financial Fair Play rules and will have to sell a few players before making a move.

Chelsea are looking to take advantage of Atletico Madrid's financial struggles. However, it is unclear how much the Blues will be willing to splash out for the midfielder.

It is reported that while the versatile midfielder has a €50 million release clause, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid value him between €15 million to €20 million.

Chelsea 'targeting £17m-rated Gabriel Menino in summer transfer' https://t.co/edh3POGmJU

— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) March 17, 2021

Should he make a move to either side, he will learn from some of the best midfielders in the game, including Sail Niguez, N’Golo Kante and Jorginho.

Amid interest in his services, Gabriel Menino believes that his style of play is well-suited to some of the best and biggest clubs across Europe.

In an interview with A Bola, via UOL, he said:

“I think my football today fits in Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, maybe even Manchester City. They are all teams with very strong players, with a quick touch of the ball, they like to attack and defend as a group.”