Will Gabigol stay? How Santos plan to keep their top scorer in 2027 | OneFootball

Santos face an uphill task to keep Gabigol beyond December, with the on-loan Cruzeiro striker central to their season.

He has 21 goals and 10 assists in 43 games this year, making him both their leading scorer and chief creator. According to Globo.com, a permanent transfer is the least likely outcome because the loan contains no fixed purchase clause.

Santos are instead expected to seek an extension of the loan. Cruzeiro sent him out during a dip in form and after hiring Tite, described as an open adversary of the player, who was dismissed soon afterwards.

The first loan was free, with wages split equally. Any renewal would require Santos to cover his full salary, placing him near Neymar’s bracket financially, and the club are already struggling to meet half.

Gabigol is under contract at Cruzeiro until the end of 2028. A place in the Conmebol Libertadores could strengthen Santos’ hand, with a berth expected to bring higher revenue and investment.

Source: Globo.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”