Emily Lima admits Gabi Nunes enquiry and warns Corinthians over rival interest | OneFootball

Corinthians have sounded out a return for Gabi Nunes as her Aston Villa contract nears its end, with coach Emily Lima endorsing the move and urging directors to act amid rival interest.

According to Meu Timao, the club have approached the 29-year-old to present Lima’s project and assess her willingness to come back to Brazil and the financial terms. Nunes is understood to favour a Corinthians reunion, but wages are a hurdle for a club carrying total debt close to R$ 3 billion, even with no transfer fee.

Speaking at Fazendinha after the match against São Paulo, Lima said she had proposed Nunes to the board and stressed the need not to leave an opening for rivals. Having worked with her in Brazil’s youth and senior teams, she praised the striker’s character and bond with the club and its supporters, while noting that negotiations rest with the hierarchy and her focus is on coaching.

Nunes played for Corinthians from 2016 to 2021, making 115 appearances with 90 wins, 15 draws and 10 defeats. She lifted five trophies, including the Brasileiros in 2020 and 2021, the Paulistas in 2019 and 2020, and the 2016 Copa do Brasil.

She scored 77 goals and provided 20 assists, placing her fourth on the Brabas’ all-time scoring list behind Grazi, Gabi Zanotti and Vic Albuquerque.

She left in mid-2021 for Madrid CFF, spent two seasons there, then joined Levante. Since 2024 she has been at Aston Villa, where she has 23 games, six goals and one assist, and back surgery for a lumbar herniated disc limited her to one outing in 2025/26. Talks with Corinthians are ongoing while Nunes evaluates other options.

Source: Meu Timao