Fulham are set to battle it out with London rivals West Ham United for the signing of highly-rated Corinthians winger Wesley Gassova.
One of the brightest youth prospects in his homeland, Wesley Gassova, 19, is a graduate of the Corinthians youth academy. He is now a regular starter for the Corinthians first team and has racked up over 60 appearances. The Brazilian winger has chipped in with five goals and two assists in 26 appearances thus far this season.
Wesley Gassova’s performances for Corinthians haven’t gone unnoticed, alerting several Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion. Spanish club Atletico Madrid are also understood to be interested in the teenage prodigy. However, Fulham and West Ham United are reportedly ahead of those clubs in the player’s pursuit, having already opened talks with Corinthians. As things stand, the Brazilian club will demand in the region of €25-30 million to sell Wesley.
Wesley Gassova could spark a bidding war between Fulham and West Ham
Many clubs across Europe are eyeing Corinthians wonderkid Wesley Gassova following his meteoric rise in the last 12-15 months. Clubs in Serie A and La Liga are believed to be keen on the teenager, but Fulham and West Ham have gone the furthest with their interest so far, even if some complications remain.
Corinthians value Wesley at around €25-30m, although there are suggestions that West Ham don’t want to pay more than €15m for the sprightly winger. This means the Hammers are some way off from meeting Corinthians’ demands, which gives Fulham a chance to swoop in after contacting the Brazilian giants over a potential move.
Wesley, whose contract with Corinthians runs until December 2027, could be ready to make the step up in his career. With Willian well into his 30s and Bobby Decordova-Reid blowing hot and cold this past season, Fulham could do well with a young winger. And a player of Wesley’s profile is an option worth considering for the Cottagers.
West Ham have already failed with a bid to secure the 19-year-old Brazilian’s signature last month. There is concrete interest in the player but the Irons must up their offer to persuade Corinthians into selling one of their prized assets. That said, it will be interesting to see where Wesley ends up.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
