São Paulo, February 29, 2024
Gabigol Returns to Santos on Loan, Rejoining Neymar’s Former Club
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FC Santos has secured the loan services of Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa, known as Gabigol, for one year from Cruzeiro, marking his second stint with the club where he first rose to prominence alongside Neymar.
- Gabriel Barbosa, 29, joins FC Santos on a one-year loan from Cruzeiro.
- This marks Gabigol’s second return to his boyhood club, having previously played for Santos in 2018.
- The move reunites him with the club where he debuted professionally alongside Neymar.
- Gabigol saw limited playing time under new Cruzeiro coach Tite.
FC Santos has brought back Gabriel Barbosa, commonly called Gabigol, on a year-long loan from Cruzeiro. The 29-year-old striker’s return to his formative club offers a fresh start after a challenging season with the Belo Horizonte team. This move allows the forward to rediscover his form in familiar surroundings.
Limited Role at Cruzeiro Prompted the Move
During his time at Cruzeiro, Barbosa made 49 appearances, scoring 13 goals and providing 4 assists. However, a significant portion of those appearances came as a substitute. The arrival of Tite as Cruzeiro’s new coach signaled a diminished role for the 18-time Brazilian national team player, prompting the search for a new opportunity.
What was Gabigol’s role at Cruzeiro? While Barbosa contributed 13 goals and 4 assists in 49 appearances, he primarily featured as a substitute and was not expected to be a key player under new coach Tite.
A Return to Roots and a Reunion with Neymar
This isn’t Gabigol’s first return to Santos. He previously had a loan spell with the club during the 2018 season after initially departing in the summer of 2016. His arrival also brings him back to the club alongside Neymar, with whom he shares a significant piece of footballing history. Barbosa made his professional debut in what proved to be Neymar’s final game for Santos before his move to FC Barcelona.
Neymar’s transfer to Barcelona generated a club-record fee of €88 million for Santos. A few years later, in 2016/17, Barbosa himself became a highly sought-after commodity, with Inter Milan paying nearly €30 million to acquire him. However, following the departure of Rodrygo to Real Madrid for €45 million, Barbosa once again became Santos’ second-most expensive export.
