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Chelsea transfer chief Marina Granovskaia looking to complete deal for Brazilian star
Chelsea are interested in Flamengo's Gerson.
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Chelsea are leading candidates to sign Flamengo star Gerson, reports claim. Jose Mourinho's Tottenham and Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund are also thought to have expressed interest.
Frank Lampard is looking to bolster his ranks ahead of the 2020/2021 campaign and transfer chief Marina Granovskaia has wasted no time in delivering.
The Blues have already announced the arrival of Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech for £33million while a £54m deal with RB Leipzig has been agreed for striker Timo Werner.
But despite a potential outlay of around £87m before the summer transfer window has officially opened - Chelsea have identified a third deal.
And that player is 23-year-old Gerson, who Fox Sports claim is wanted at Stamford Bridge.
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Last Friday, Flamengo were said to have rejected a £16m bid from an unnamed Premier League side thought to be Tottenham.
Flamengo want £30m for their sought-after midfielder, who they re-signed from Roma in July for £10.5m - making him the most expensive Brazilian player ever signed by a Brazilian club.
European interest in Gerson is nothing new.
The central midfielder had a host of heavyweights clambering to secure his services in 2016 and even rejected the opportunity to join Arsenal.
He also spurned the advances of Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona before joining Serie A side Roma, where he endured a lacklustre spell before being sent to Fiorentina on loan.
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“We had everything settled and signed [to join Barcelona],” the player's father and agent Marcos Santos told Yahoo in May. “But Barca only wanted to pay €8m (£6m) to Fluminense, who really needed the money. So, we decided to go with Roma, who offered €16m (£12m).
“Roma wanted me to sign with an agent. They screwed us there. They screwed us so much that we couldn’t rent a house; we had to stay in a hotel for three months.
“All the houses we tried to rent, I had to talk to this businessman, whose name I don’t even want to stay. We only solved this when Gerson talked to Totti. We moved to Totti's apartment.
“It just didn't work. I remember that Gerson scored two goals against Fiorentina and never played again.
“There was a time when he was put on the wing, without ever having trained there, to mark Higuain. But, anyway… thank God we managed to get out.”