newcastle united The latest Premier League club was Publicly linked with wonderkid Gabriel Meek. Gremio's stance on the teenager has now been directly addressed by a senior figure at the Brazilian club.
The 18-year-old was one of the standout performers in Grêmio's 3-0 win over Deportivo Riestra in the Copa Sudamericana. Meck recorded an assist and played with a confidence that continues to attract European attention.
That performance added to the growing clamor over his future.
chelsea Despite previous talks and recent inquiries for the make, it is still firmly in the race. The Blues have come close to striking a deal in the past and have been heavily linked with the Brazilian.
Brentford and nottingham forest The picture has also changed in recent months as interest in the Premier League among teenagers has been increasing.
liverpoolMeanwhile, he was credited with already having strong interest in the process and was even reported in Brazil to have internally compared Make's attacking style to that of Vinicius Junior.
Gremio have currently ruled out formal bids
After the match in Buenos Aires, Grêmio vice-president Antonio Dutra Júnior was asked directly about the player's situation amid growing transfer interest.
"There is currently no official offer for Gabriel Make," he explained to the Brazilian outlet zero hour. "He is a Grêmio player and we trust him. When the offers come, Grêmio will analyze them, both for Gabriel and for any other player."
The comments are important because they lend some credence to the idea that conversations have already progressed behind the scenes. Also they don't close the door at all.
In fact, Dutra's words strongly suggest that Grêmio are preparing for that moment to finally come.
Newcastle's latest club in pictures
As we recently coveredNewcastle are among the clubs most linked with the attacking midfielder.
The Magpies have become increasingly active in South America and continue to keep an eye on emerging attacking talents from the region.
Meck fits the profile of a high-upside signing with room for development, especially after his recent increase in first-team involvement at Grêmio.
Additionally, he has recently turned 18, so the final bar to moving to Europe has been lifted. At the same time, Grêmio is dealing with pressure from its long-term contract situation and growing expectations of major sales in the future.
“A great value”
Dutra also clarified that Grêmio expects to receive a large sum of money if Meck ultimately leaves.
"I think he's a player whose value will be huge," The Vice President said. "He is a player who has just started his career and has immense potential. I am sure he will have a great career."
Those comments align with the market picture already forming around the player.
Gremio have previously been linked with a valuation between €15m (£12.9m) and €20m (£17.2m), while Chelsea have been mentioned in reports with figures as high as €24m (£20.6m).
There may not be formal bids yet, but Grêmio already sees Make as a player capable of making a big transfer in the near future.
