Barcelona sign Sao Paulo wonderkid Gustavo Maia & insert €300m release clause

The teenage forward will go straight into the Blaugrana's B team after sealing a highly-anticipated move to Camp Nou

Posted Friday, August 07, 2020 by Goal.com

Barcelona have announced the signing of Sao Paulo wonderkid Gustavo Maia, as well as the inclusion of a €300 million (£270m/$355m) release clause in his contract at Camp Nou.

Maia has completed a move to Barca for a fee of €4.5 million, while committing his future to the club through to 2025.

The Blaugrana have released an official statement confirming the news via their official website, which reads: "Barcelona have reached an agreement with Sao Paulo for the signing of Gustavo Maia, who will join Barca B.

"The Brazilian has signed a contract through to June 30, 2025, with a buyout clause of 300 million euros. The total cost of the operation is 4.5 million euros.

"Gustavo Maia is 19 years old and joined Sao Paulo at the age of 14. After three trials with the club, he was brought into their academy, and since then has scored goals and won seven trophies at all levels. His best season in front of goal was in 2018, when he scored 30 times in 36 games.

"An international for Brazil at Under-16 and Under-17 level, he is a fast forward who usually plays on the left side - even though he is right footed.

"He continued to make appearances for Sao Paulo's second team, even when called up to the senior squad. A strong dribbler, with a powerful shot, he was a standout in the Copa Junior tournament.

Barca reportedly reached an agreement to sign Maia in July, paying €1m to Sao Paulo up front to guarantee a purchase option on the forward.

He will go straight into the club's B team setup ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, with a view to forcing his way into Quique Setien's first-team plans as he develops his all-round game.

Maia began training with Fernando Diniz's squad at Arena Corinthians this year after impressing in the Sao Paulo Youth Cup, but he leaves the club without a single senior appearance to his name.

However, the teenager was able to work alongside Dani Alves, Alexandre Pato and Hernanes at Sao Paulo, which will hold him in good stead as he joins up with another star-studded group in Catalonia.

Maia is the second man from Sao Paulo to make his way to La Liga this year, after fellow Brazilian Reinier's €35 million (£29.8m/$38.8m) move to Real Madrid in January.