 |
Midfielder
Pablo Maia |
| Position |
Midfielder
|
| P.O.B. |
Brasópolis,
Minas Gerais,
Brazil |
| D.O.B |
10:01:02 |
| Height |
5' 10 |
| Last Club |
Sao Paulo
|
|
His Wiki page |
Sao Paulo are demanding a minimum of 10 million euros for Fulham and Nottingham Forest target Pablo Maia after Premier League outfit Fulham failed with a £6.5 million bid for the highly-rated midfielder, according to Brazilian reporter Jorge Nicola.
Successive three-goal wins over Aston Villa and Leeds United are a credit not only to Fulham’s attitude and intensity, but also an excellent summer on behalf of the club’s recruitment department.
Willian continues to roll back the years – West London Willian a very different beast from North London Willian, it seems – while Joao Palhinha and Andreas Pereira have slotted in brilliantly alongside the industrious Harrison Reed; Fulham now ascending to the the nosebleed-inducing heights of seventh place.
UOL Esporte claims that Fulham have submitted an opening bid of £6.5 million for a deep-lying midfielder as effective with the ball as he is without it. Claims Jorge Nicola is now backing up.
“I confirmed (those reports) with a person close to Pablo Maia,” Nicola says. “I heard from a director at Sao Paulo there will be no business for less than 10 million euros (£9m). So unless Fulham raise their offer considerably, Pablo Maia will not leave Sao Paulo.
“He renewed his contract recently. And the best news is that Sao Paulo own 100 per cent of Pablo Maia’s economic rights.
“In addition to Fulham, Nottingham Forest is another interested in the player.”
Whether Fulham or Forest are willing to invest nearly £10 million in a 20-year-old totally unproven on European soil, only time will tell. Fellow Brazilians Pereira and Willian are adapting superbly at Craven Cottage after spells at Flamengo and Corinthians respectively. Maia’s Sao Paulo team-mate Luizao is another on Fulham’s radar.
“Pablo Maia plays as the (deep-lying) midfielder. He gives security to our defence,” explains Sao Paulo chief Muricy Ramalho. “He has a good pass too. He’s not just about marking (opposition forwards).
“Nowadays, the midfielder has to play too, and he has a good pass. Of course, he does the simple things but he keeps the ball. He gives stability to Sao Paulo.”
Maia has played a staggering 64 games in all competitions this season. He’s picked up a bone-crunching 12 yellow cards along the way.