Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of the Brazilian wonderkid Gabriel Moscardo.
According to l’Équipe, the 18-year-old midfielder has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal worth €20m (£17.1m) plus €2m in add-ons to leave Corinthians, who he joined in 2017.
He has been immediately loaned back to the Brazilian outfit until June, when he will link-up with Luis Enrique’s squad and join compatriots Marquinhos and Lucas Beraldo – also newly signed.
The deal completes weeks of rumours and negotiations, with journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting a verbal agreement as far back as Boxing Day. Clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal were all in the race for his signature, but PSG seem to have led the pack for some time.
Of the English sides, Chelsea appeared to come closest to signing Moscardo, with the teenager saying in a recent interview: “There was a proposal from Chelsea months ago, but I talk a lot with my agent and my parents and they try to give me information.
“They tell me to dedicate myself and do well, and that at the end of the season, there will be good things.”
An ankle injury discovered during Moscardo’s medical in early January caused complications, with PSG and Corinthians eventually agreeing to surgery, then recovery in Brazil, and finally a full move to Paris in summer.
The decision wasn’t without controversy, however. Corinthians president Augusto Melo said: “We opposed his sale from the beginning. It’s a reality, and I mentioned this in some meetings. I wasn’t in favour of the sale.
“Unfortunately, the cycle has come to an end, his mind is elsewhere. We gave him the freedom to choose, may he be happy. He’s heading to Paris.”
Moscardo began playing with Atleta Cidadão in 2015 before being picked up by Corinthians. He made his senior debut in summer 2023 against Liverpool (not that Liverpool) in the Copa Libertadores and scored once in 18 Série A appearances. Internationally he has featured once for Brazil at Under-23 level, a friendly loss against Morocco.
PSG currently lead the Ligue 1 table by eight points while Corinthians finished 13th in the 2023 Série A table. Les Parisiens next face Brest on Sunday evening.
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