Santos hand number nine to Gabigol amid uncertainty over Tiquinho Soares | OneFootball

Santos have handed the number nine shirt to Gabigol and begun selling his personalised kit in the Santos Store. The move comes while Tiquinho Soares faces an uncertain future at the club. Lautaro Díaz also competes for the role, and is on loan until mid-year.

According to Diario Do Peixe, Gabriel Barbosa arrives with first-choice status and will be unveiled to the media on Monday at 12:00 in the Salão de Mármore at Vila Belmiro. The signing has already drawn reaction on social media.

Tiquinho trained with the squad, however the club has told his agent to seek a new team. He is on the list of players available for transfer, is among the highest earners and did not secure a starting berth last year.

Signed in January 2025, Tiquinho joined in a linked deal with Botafogo in which the Rio club kept defender Jair, formerly of Santos. The forward agreed a contract running until the end of next year.

He arrived off the back of 120 appearances, 44 goals and 17 assists for Botafogo, as well as Brasileirão and Libertadores titles at Nilton Santos. For Santos he has nine goals and four assists in 43 games.

Francisco Soares, 34, from Sousa, Paraíba, began at Palmeiras das Rocas and has played across Brazil, Portugal, China and Greece, including Nacional, Vitória de Guimarães, Porto, Tianjin Teda and Olympiacos, before joining Botafogo in 2022.

Source: Diario Do Peixe