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Could Schalke make a play for Flamengo’s sensational striker?

By Kevin Parvizi

LIMA, PERU - NOVEMBER 23: Gabriel Barbosa #9 of Flamengo celebrates after winning the final match of Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2019 between Flamengo and River Plate at Estadio Monumental on November 23, 2019 in Lima, Peru. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)
LIMA, PERU - NOVEMBER 23: Gabriel Barbosa #9 of Flamengo celebrates after winning the final match of Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2019 between Flamengo and River Plate at Estadio Monumental on November 23, 2019 in Lima, Peru. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images) /
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Gabriel Barbosa, known as “Gabigol”, is an Inter Milan forward tearing it up in the Brazilian top-flight for Flamengo, and he appears to be on FC Schalke 04’s radar.

FC Schalke 04 seemed to have solved their striker problem, as summer signing Benito Raman has found his form since returning from injury.

Raman scored twice in the team’s last DFB Pokal game to lift The Miners to a 3-2 win over Arminia Bielefeld, and after a quiet game against Augsburg, he was sensational against both Fortuna Dusseldorf and Werder Bremen. In fact, his performance on Saturday at the Weserstadion was his best in a Schalke uniform.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt Schalke to look at more options at the striker position, especially since Raman, Rabbi Matondo, and Ahmed Kutucu are more “versatile” than “poachers”. And Gabriel Barbosa is one top-notch, young goal-scorer who could be available.

According to Football-Italia.net, Schalke are “thought” to be among the teams interested in Inter Milan forward “Gabigol”, who is currently plying his trade at Flamengo in the Brasileirao where he’s scored 22 goals with seven assists in 26 appearances.

Just 23 years old, Gabigol is an incredible talent, though he would come at a cost. Per the report, Inter will ask for 30 million euros from teams interested in the player, and Premier League sides like Crystal Palace and West Ham, who spent nearly double that amount for former Bundesliga superstar Sebastien Haller, could be in a better position to pay.

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Schalke may be better off sticking with their young trio of Raman, Matondo, and Kutucu, but Gabigol is also a young striker and has a better track record than those three. Who can ever forget is incredible late goals to steal a victory from the jaws of defeat in Flamengo’s Copa Libertadores triumph over River Plate?

Signing Gabigol would be a pipe dream, but, above all else, it’s great to see Schalke are at least throwing their names into the hat for such a talented forward. It’s a positive for the overall profile of the club, which is on the cusp of returning to the Champions League.