Last week Inter Milan signed Brazilian forward Gabriel Barbosa,aka Gabigol, for a reported €27 million. The player had the obligatory picture holding an Inter shirt and the deal seemed done and dusted.
But now Barcelona have appealed to FIFA over Gabigol transfer, saying that they had secured the right of first refusal on the striker as part of their deal to sign Neymar in 2013.
According to Globoesporte, Barcelona claim that the deal they had with Santos gave them three working days to decide whether they wanted to a match the Nerazzurri’s offer.
But the Spanish side claim that they only learned of Inter’s offer on August 29, two days before the transfer window shut. Barca are then said to have demanded Gabigol’s proposed move to Inter be called off, but Santos ignored their pleas and ratified the player’s departure to Milan.
“Barcelona can do what they like,” said Santos president Modesto Roma, as reported by the Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Let’s not forget that they say they don’t have to pay our €2m included in the deal for Neymar [as conditional clauses].”
Santos and Barcelona have been at odds since the Neymar transfer has seen both clubs dragged through the courts in both Brazil and Spain.
The two clubs might once again be headed to court, but the first stop is FIFA and they are the only body that can resolve this conflict.
It would be highly unlikely that FIFA was rescind the transfer, as the dispute is more about Santos and Barca, rather than Inter and Gabigol.