Real Sociedad close in on Wesley loan deal with €12m option to buy
Brazilian winger Wesley Gassova Ribeiro set to join La Real from Al-Nassr on loan with purchase option as Matarazzo seeks Kubo injury cover
Brazilian wonderkid Wesley Gassova Ribeiro looks set to swap sharing a dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo for the Basque Country, with Real Sociedad poised to secure his services on loan with a €12 million option to buy.
Deal details
The 20-year-old right winger joined Saudi side Al-Nassr from Corinthians just last year in a deal worth €18 million, but has struggled for consistent playing time alongside CR7, appearing in only half of their league matches this season.
According to reports from Noticias de Gipuzkoa and transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the agreement between the clubs is essentially done and dusted, with the Brazil U20 international expected to arrive in San Sebastian imminently.
Filling the Kubo void
La Real’s move for Wesley comes at a crucial time following Take Kubo’s injury setback. New gaffer Pellegrino Matarazzo has been keen as mustard to add another attacking option to his squad, and Wesley ticks all the boxes:
- Young talent with significant upside
- Direct replacement for Kubo’s creativity
- Low-risk loan structure with reasonable purchase option
Return to youth policy
This move signals something of a return to Real Sociedad’s traditional transfer approach after last summer’s spending spree on established players. The Txuri-urdin splashed the cash on proven talents like Gonçalo Guedes, Carlos Soler, Duje Ćaleta-Car and Yangel Herrera.
However, Wesley’s arrival aligns more with their previous focus on promising youngsters, similar to recent acquisitions like Óskarsson, Sucic and Zakharyan.
If the Brazilian settles well at Anoeta and shows his potential, that €12 million option could prove proper bargain territory for a player who commanded €18 million just months ago.