Fulham transfer was torpedoed by €25m demand – Mendes could be offering him around

Fulham attempted a late move for Tiago Gabriel in the summer transfer window. Even if a deal didn’t go through, the player’s future is far from secure.

Throughout the transfer window, it became evident that the defender was being monitored by several clubs. Crystal Palace were one and AC Milan were also exploring a deal.

Late in the window, Jorge Mendes was attempting to find suitors. This led to Fulham emerging as a suitor, as they were also keen on Milan’s Fikayo Tomori.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s side were looking to sign one of the two but neither materialised. The Lecce player has become the talk of the town again.

Mendes at the heart of things
Friday’s print edition of Tuttosport states Mendes has been working closely with Italian clubs – again. While he was operating with AC Milan in the summer, he has now held a meeting with Juventus.

While they discussed Francisco Conceicao’s renewal, Gabriel’s situation was also talked about.

Fulham were interested in the summer appeared keen, eventually pulling away because of Lecce’s €25m valuation.

Now, the impression is Gabriel’s value will go higher, after he recently signed a new deal.

But for Mendes, a transfer is all that matters. This has led to Juve now being interested, with intrigue for the player growing.

Club and Mendes working together
It is no coincidence that Lecce recently tied Gabriel down to a renewal. Especially after the saga in the summer, it is clear Mendes and the Italian side are working to keep raising the player’s value.

Fulham have the financial capacity to go higher. This would hurt Juve, who would look for a loan or cheap deal.

Lecce have sold a lot of their key players abroad. They thrive on making major capital gains. This suggests Arbeloa’s side should keep a close eye on the situation.