Two Premier League teams, going for Tiago Gabriel, the latest ‘calcio’ sensation

Tiago Gabriel He is one of those footballers who have managed to attract attention based on performance and not media noise. The Franco-Portuguese centre-back, still 21 years old, has settled in the Lecce after a more than positive emergence into Serie A and there are already several teams that are paying attention to their situation. Among them, two sets of the Premier League who would have asked about their situation.

Trained in the lower categories of the Sporting of Portugal and having also passed through the Vitória de Setúbal and the Estrela da Amadora, Tiago Gabriel He made the leap to Italian football in January 2025. Lecce opted for him and, just over a year later, it seems clear that they got it right. He has a contract until June 2027 and his performance has already caused his name to be linked even with larger clubs.

In fact, in his day it came to be known Barcelona. The Barça team closely followed the evolution of a central defender who meets conditions that do not exactly go unnoticed. Because at 1.96 meters tall, Tiago Gabriel He is an imposing defender in melee and especially powerful in the aerial game, but he is by no means a limited player when he has the ball at his feet.

During the past season he became a practically indisputable piece for the team. Lecceparticipating in 37 games and starting in 36 of them. Furthermore, he was among the best centre-backs in Serie A in duels won, an example of the forcefulness he offers when it comes to defending. A central defender who makes his presence known.

All of this has put its name back on the table in this final stretch of the market. According to the journalist specialized in the transfer market Nicolò Schira, two Premier League teams currently have Tiago Gabriel on their radar, although for the moment their identities have not been revealed. In Lecce They are aware that they have a footballer with a market on their hands and they are not in the business of giving him away: his valuation would be between 25 and 30 million euros.

It remains to be seen if any of the suitors take the definitive step, but what seems clear is that Tiago Gabriel It is no longer a promise. At 21 years old, the Portuguese aims to be one of the names of the market closing.