The football world was abuzz with the recent transfer of Brazilian teenager Ângelo Gabriel to Saudi team Al Nassr in a reported $25 million deal. This move comes just a year after Gabriel's initial transfer to Chelsea from Santos for $17 million.
During his time at Chelsea, Gabriel was loaned out to Strasbourg, a team owned by Chelsea's American investors, and did not make any appearances for the English club. Despite being part of Chelsea's preseason tour in the United States, Gabriel has now made a permanent move to Al Nassr, where he will have the opportunity to play alongside football legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
The timing of Gabriel's transfer announcement, just after the closure of the Saudi transfer window, is significant for Chelsea as it helps the club comply with financial regulations in both the Premier League and UEFA competitions. Another Brazilian teenager, Deivid Washington, who also joined Chelsea from Santos around the same time as Gabriel, had a potential move to Strasbourg cancelled by Chelsea due to concerns over compliance with competition rules.
Chelsea bid farewell to Gabriel with a statement expressing well wishes for his future endeavors and thanking him for his contributions during his time with the club. Gabriel made history as the youngest player in Brazil's national championship when he made his senior debut for Santos at just 15 years and 308 days old.