It’s being reported that DC United have informed Santos FC of its intention to pay the 1.3 million dollar fee to make Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Pirani a permanent member of the Black & Red for the 2024 season. The Brazilian midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan with the Black & Red, is to be signed through June 2025 with two additional option years.
DC United’s 2024 squad is gradually taking shape despite the team having not yet hired a new Head Coach to take over for Wayne Rooney. New General Manager and Chief Soccer Officer Ally Mackay has not let the lack of a Head Coach deter him from beginning his complete overhaul of the roster.
Pirani first arrived in DC at the end of July transfer window to begin a loan with an option to buy. The Brazilian Midfielder was brought in as a replacement for Lewis O’Brien, whose loan from Nottingham Forest had come to an end. The 21-year-old player, is a modern box-to-box midfielder with attacking abilities that can allow him to play in a 10 role if the new Head Coach chooses a strategy that utilizes that position.
The young midfielder’s initial performance with DC United was not marked by overly impressive numbers. His adaptation to MLS was a gradual process, but there was evidence of progress, even as DC United as a team struggled down the stretch with consistency. Some of Pirani’s best matches were the last few games, especially against Atlanta in Week 33, where he scored his lone goal, and United’s last match of the season, where the Black & Red dominated NYFC, knocking them out of the playoffs.
DC United’s early elimination from the playoffs enabled Pirani to be available for the Brazilian Under-23 side that played in this year’s Pan American Games in Chile. The Brazil national football Under-23 team won the gold medal at the tournament after defeating the hosts on penalties. Pirani started all five of the competition’s matches, His play was enough to catch the attention of his Head Coach, Menezes, who has called him up for the 2024 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic tournamentthat which will be held in Venezuela between January 20 and February 11 2024. If Pirani can continue his form, there’s a reasonable expectation that he would be invited to represent Brazil at the Olympics. This should both help the young Brazilian improve as a player, but also build his value on the international transfer market.
The purchase option for Gabriel Pirani is valued at $1.3 while he has a $3.5 million estimated valuation according to Transfermarkt. Thus Pirani’s development could be an investment for DC United, both financially and in terms of play on the field. The Brazilian midfielder is a player capable of dancing around the pitch with the ball at his feet. If his development continues he could also be an asset that can appreciate considerably over the next few years.
The talent and potential of Gabriel Pirani could be a key piece to the puzzle of DC United becoming relevant in Major League Soccer again.
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