Rio de Janeiro, Dec. 24 -- Striker Gabriel Barbosa is close to a return to former club Santos on a season-long loan from Cruzeiro, according to reports from Brazilian media.
The 29-year-old former Brazil international is contracted to Cruzeiro until December 2028 but has struggled to secure regular playing time since joining from Flamengo in January. He made 49 appearances in all competitions for the Belo Horizonte club-often coming off the bench-scoring 13 goals and registering four assists.
Globo Esporte reported that Santos is pushing for a deal in which both clubs would share 50 percent of Barbosa's salary. The report also noted that the forward's close relationship with Santos star Neymar could influence the negotiations.
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