Premier League club, Chelsea have completed the signing of 18-year-old Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel from Santos. The 18-year-old has put pen to paper on a long-term deal at Stamford Bridge, although the exact length of his contract has not been disclosed by the club. The fee to take Angelo to West London is understood to be around €15m (£12.8m). 
Angelo Gabriel celebrating a goal scored for Santos. Source: Getty Chelsea said in a statement; “Chelsea has completed the signing of Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel from Santos. Born in Brasilia, the 18-year-old arrives at Stamford Bridge with a wealth of senior football under his belt; he made 129 first-team appearances for Santos across all competitions. Welcome to Chelsea, Angelo!” Angelo is now expected to join his new teammates on their pre-season tour of the United States, although he is likely to be sent out on loan for the 2023-24 campaign, with Strasbourg an option. The attacker became the youngest player in Brazilian top-flight history when he made his debut at the age of just 15 years and 308 days in 2020. Angelo has remained a regular fixture in the Santos first team since that debut, making 129 senior appearances for the club despite his age. Chelsea have committed large amounts of spending to the academy since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital arrived last summer. 
Angelo Gabriel playing for Santos. Source: Getty Diego Moreira has joined from Benfica on a free transfer this week while Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez has also signed, though will only join when he turns 18 in 2025. Last summer, big moves were made for Cesare Casadei, Andrey Santos, Omari Hutchinson, and Carney Chukwuemeka. Whether or not Angelo stays with the first-team remains to be seen as Mauricio Pochettino works with the squad. The Argentine wants to take a close look at every player before making a decision on whether or not to sanction departures. Pochettino has a history of developing youngsters and the hope is that Angelo will be the latest success story.
Goal reported that the loan transfer is yet to go through due to the Blues’ desire for him to feature at this summer’s U20 World Cup. It was gathered that Chelsea’s management believes that an outing at another FIFA showpiece will aid 18-year-old Santos’ development while also making it easier for them to obtain a work permit, which has proved impossible so far. Santos recently starred in the U20 South American Championship for Brazil, netting six goals in eight games as he captained his nation to victory in the tournament, as well as winning the Golden Boot. Following his performances for Brazil, Chelsea is keen for Santos to feature at the U20 World Cup, which is due to take place between May and June 2023. 
Palmeiras are reportedly reluctant to agree to the deal as they could end up losing Santos at a vital stage of their season that delivers important fixtures in the Brazilian Championship and the Copa Libertadores. They are now seeking assurances that they will have the final say on whether the talented teenager is released for Brazil duty or not. There are speculations that a compromise could be reached, and if such an agreement is settled upon, Santos will remain in his homeland until December. 
