Sao Paulo midfielder Pablo Maia has admitted his interest in a Premier League move amid lingering links with a move to Fulham.
Fulham would be wise to have midfield targets in mind for the summer transfer window.
Portugal star Joao Palhinha continues to shine in the Fulham engine room and is bound to attract interest.
Having potential replacements in mind would be smart and we have seen strong rumours surrounding Fluminense midfielder Andre.
Fulham could yet look elsewhere in Brazil though and Sao Paulo talent Pablo Maia is a name to keep close tabs on…
Pablo Maia transfer stance
Maia rumours first emerged in October 2022 as Brazilian reports suggested that Fulham were keen on a £5million move.
The speculation returned in October 2023 with reporter Jorge Nicola claiming that Fulham and West Ham are battling for Maia ahead of the January window.
No deal was done in January but Maia has now commented on his own future.
Maia has told the Daily Mail that he would love to play in the Premier League and it’s a dream to play against players of such high quality.
Maia noted that he heard an English club made an offer for him, but seemingly isn’t sure just who made that move.
The 22-year-old has left the door to a summer move open, which may well be of interest inside Fulham.
“I heard about an offer from an English club to Sao Paulo FC, and then another club inquired about a loan deal two windows back,” said Maia. “The Premier League is played at the highest technical and intense level in the world, with players accustomed to the Champions League and World Cup.”
“It’s a league that we dream of, set as a goal. Whenever I can, I watch the games and analyse how players in my position perform.”
“My dreams are focused on my goals here at Sao Paulo. I’m sure that with our team’s excellent collective performance, it will contribute to my individual performance. If offers come in the middle of the year and are good for the team and for me as a career project, that could happen,” he added.
Maia has racked up more than 125 appearances for Sao Paulo, playing almost exclusively as a holding midfield player.
The Brazilian may be viewed as a potential heir to Palhinha and he will certainly be on Fulham’s radar ahead of the summer.
Much will depend on Palhinha’s future and whether he stays put or not, but Maia’s come-and-get-me plea will surely have been noticed at Craven Cottage.
