Currently, most teams in the Chinese Super League are actively recruiting new players. Big clubs like Shanghai Port, Shanghai Shenhua, and Beijing Guoan have made significant moves. Even Meizhou Hakka, who successfully replaced a relegated team, have basically secured a Champions League-level defender, Faye. At the same time, there is a team - Wuhan Three Towns that has been urgently lacking a tall foreign center forward since the second half of last season, but they have not strengthened their squad until now. However, there is news that Wuhan Three Towns should have already identified their new foreign aid.
According to Portuguese media reports, Gabriel Barbosa, the top scorer in the Portuguese League this season from Penafiel, has received offers from several Chinese Super League teams. The information shows that Barbosa was produced by the Palmeiras youth training system in Brazil and debuted for the Brazilian team Spal U19. This season, Barbosa played 16 times for Penafiel, scoring 7 goals with an average playing time of 66 minutes per game. Considering that the level of the Portuguese League may be close to the Chinese Super League, he should be able to adapt to the rhythm of the Chinese Super League.
This Barbosa shares similar characteristics with previous Wuhan Three Towns foreign players such as Marcon and Enrique, all being tall center forwards. The information shows that Gabriel Barbosa is currently 25 years old, 1.95 meters tall, weighs 88 kilograms, has a market value of 400,000 euros, and has scored 17 goals in 49 games for Penafiel. It can be seen that Barbosa is not a speed-type forward, but rather the type that relies on his physique to act as a lone striker, which is exactly what Wuhan Three Towns urgently needs in a foreign center forward.
On January 14th, informed sources with IP addresses showing Hubei also followed up on the report, describing the deal as "seems to be ours," suggesting that Barbosa is likely to be the new foreign aid selected by Wuhan Three Towns. According to domestic media reports, Dalan has already joined Wuhan Three Towns for training, while Romario and Park Ji-soo still have contracts in place, and Joac is currently in negotiations, leaving no issues with these four foreign players. Therefore, what the team lacks is this tall center forward.
Gabriel Barbosa is not too old, with a transfer fee of 400,000 euros, which is not expensive, and his record of 7 goals in 16 Portuguese League games is quite decent. His height of 1.95 meters is also very impressive. In terms of physique, transfer fee, and characteristics, all conditions meet Wuhan Three Towns' recruitment standards, so it is highly likely that he will join Wuhan. In fact, Wuhan Three Towns' previous recruitment has been quite reliable, especially in the forward position, where players like Aziz, Marcon, and Enrique were able to score double-digit goals in a single Chinese Super League season, making Barbosa full of expectations.
It is worth noting that at present, Wuhan Three Towns does not have a new enterprise taking over, and the 2025 season is expected to follow a similar path to Tianjin Jinmen Tiger's trusteeship, which means the team will not spend too much money. Last season, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger achieved a sixth-place finish in the Chinese Super League with a "small investment" approach, indicating that small investments can also establish themselves in the Chinese Super League. Looking forward to Wuhan Three Towns achieving ideal results in the new season. Do you think Barbosa will come to Wuhan Three Towns?