Barcelona Upset By Gabigol’s Move

Barcelona are unhappy with Santos’ decision to push through with the sale of Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa in the final days of the summer transfer window, according to multiple reports in Catalonia.

Gabigol joined Inter Milan for an initial fee of around €25 million last week, but Barca reportedly feel Santos violated an agreement between the two clubs by selling the 20-year-old without allowing them sufficient time to decide whether to match the Italian side’s offer.

The Catalan club, in conjunction with the Neymar transfer in 2013, reportedly paid Santos €7m euros to have a preferential option on three of their players — Barbosa, Victor Andrade and Giva.

Within the agreement it was stipulated that in the case an offer was accepted for any of those three players, Barca would be given a certain amount of time to match the fee Santos had agreed with any other club.

However, the Blaugrana feel the notice given to them by Santos was not sufficient nor in line with the arrangement between the two clubs as it came with just 48 hours left in the transfer window.

They also felt the information offered to them was lacking key details, with the payment structure and the future clauses reportedly not included. Therefore, they advised Santos not to sell the player.

The Brasileirao side pushed ahead with the sale, though, and Catalan daily Sport says Barcelona will report them to FIFA in search of compensation. Mundo Deportivo has covered Barca’s fury, but has not confirmed if a report has yet been filed to world football’s governing body.

It’s the latest in a string of disagreements between the two clubs. Santos previously reported Barca to FIFA, claiming Neymar and his agents broke the terms of player’s contract by starting negotiations with Barcelona without their consent.

Club president Modesto Roma has said about the latest reports that “Barcelona can do what they like.”