Porto beat Shakhtar to the signing of Brazilian talent Gabriel Mec
Shakhtar Donetsk had agreed on a deal for Gabriel Mec, but the player's family blocked the move to Ukraine due to security concerns, allowing Porto to step in.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Author: Aleksandr Osipov
Shakhtar Donetsk were deep in negotiations to sign 18-year-old attacking midfielder Gabriel Mec from Brazilian club Gremio. The clubs had reached an agreement for a transfer fee of 12 million euros plus performance-related bonuses.
Despite the agreement between the clubs, the deal fell through due to the player's family. Concerns regarding the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine led the family to advise against the move, which ultimately halted the transfer to the Ukrainian side.
Porto quickly capitalized on the situation. The Portuguese giants did not need to exceed the financial package offered by the Ukrainians, securing the deal for 10 million euros. Since the player's family viewed Portugal as a more stable environment, the transfer proceeded without further resistance.
Gabriel Mec has registered three goals and two assists in 32 appearances this season in Brazilian football, accumulating 1,453 minutes of playing time.