Barreal shining at Santos, close to matching his most prolific season | OneFootball

Attacking midfielder Álvaro Barreal is enjoying a great spell at Santos. Since the arrival of coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, the Argentine has gone from being a substitute to establishing himself as an important part of the squad. The number 22 is the top scorer for Peixe in the Brasileirão and is close to reaching a significant milestone in his career.

In the current season, Barreal has played 26 matches, with seven goals and one assist. His best numbers came in 2022 and 2023, when he played for FC Cincinnati in the United States—the club that loaned him to Santos. In both years, the Argentine scored eight goals.

Now, with 11 games remaining in the season (all in the Brasileirão), he has a chance to equal or even surpass this personal record.

Inspired Form

His good form became even more evident in the derby against Corinthians last Wednesday. Barreal was one of the highlights of the 3-1 victory: he took the corner that led to Zé Rafael's goal and later scored a stunning goal, hitting the top left corner of goalkeeper Felipe Longo with a shot from outside the box.

Since Victor Hugo’s injury, the Argentine has taken over as a starter and, in four consecutive matches in the starting lineup, has already contributed one goal and two assists, reinforcing his importance to the Vila Belmiro team.

Will Santos buy Barreal?

Barreal is on loan at Santos from FC Cincinnati, United States. The Argentine was announced in February and signed a contract valid until December 31, 2025, with a purchase option set at 4 million dollars (R$ 21.7 million at the current exchange rate).

The Gazeta Esportiva report found that Santos wants to sign the forward permanently. This interest has grown stronger following the player’s recent good performances.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.