Gabriel Moscardo: Why PSG have spent €20m on the Brazilian wonderkid who Barcelona, Chelsea and Arsenal were also chasing

Moscardo is Sao Paulo through and through. Born in the Taubate district, he joined Corinthians' academy aged 12 in 2017 and rose rapidly through the ranks. He signed his first professional contract in 2021 - one that he renewed last summer.

Despite being predominantly a defensive midfielder, he ended 2022 as the Under-17 side's top scorer with 10 goals, earning himself a regular place in the U20 side from January 2023 onwards.

At 17, he captained the Timao to the final of the FIFA Youth Cup in May - a tournament for U21 sides. Agonisingly, though, he missed the deciding penalty in the final against hosts FC Zurich, but there was a silver lining as he was recognised as Player of the Tournament.

After a meteoric rise in the first half of 2023, Moscardo was rewarded with his first-team debut in July by now-former manager Vanderlei Luxemburgo - a coach with a reputation for entrusting young players with prominent roles.

Still 17 at the time, he came off the bench in a 3-0 Copa Libertadores victory over Uruguay's Liverpool, even playing a part in the third goal.

Speaking to Globo about his debut, Moscardo said: "I say that the first ball of the game is very important. So on one of the first balls I charged, handed it to Pedro and that resulted in a goal. I exploded with joy, this only gives me more confidence. I hope to have more opportunities, I think I left a good impression."

A sound full debut against Red Bull Bragantino followed in Brazil's Serie A, with Luxemburgo telling reporters after the game: "You have to play, I played Vitor Roque when he was 16 years old. [Gabriel Moscardo] is big, has good output, good combat, and Bragantino's midfield is intense. I thought he could help and he did."

Despite Corinthians' overall struggles, Moscardo shone as a regular fixture in the first team in the weeks that followed, contributing to an eight-game unbeaten run from defensive midfield (although that included multiple draws). That led to a significant stride forward in his international career, as he earned a call-up to the Selecao's star-studded U23 squad in September as they prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

He finished the campaign strongly too, scoring in his side's 4-2 victory over Vasco da Gama before notching an assist in a losing effort to Internacional. That would end up being his final appearance for Corinthians as a glut of yellow cards resulted in him being suspended for the last game of the season.

Remarkably, he also balanced his football career with a business administration course at a private Sao Paulo college. Speaking about his studies, the teenager said: "Training is usually in the morning. In the afternoon, I take the opportunity to rest and in the evening I go to college. It ends up becoming easier because I live very close to the college. It doesn't get that tiring."

Studious off the pitch, Moscardo seems to have a high footballing IQ on it, too. As a defensive midfielder, he is predictably astute at reading the game, he passes precisely and he presses and battles tirelessly - a result of his youth but also testament to his stamina.

The fact he as already captained his country above his own age group reflects his leadership credentials, and he has been seen marshalling the Timao's midfield despite his youth.

His ball-carrying ability is particularly eye-catching, as he is able to progress play with the ball at his feet without discarding his defensive duties. That is undoubtedly an attribute that has led to him catching the eye of Europe's elite.

The 18-year-old reckons he also has the versatility to operate anywhere in the midfield, which he has demonstrated in his days in the youth teams.

"Since arriving at Corinthians, I have always been the deepest midfielder," Moscardo told Globo. "I like the position, marking, a position that demands a lot, especially at Corinthians, being a pure player, who runs a lot, who gives himself. But I also have technical quality. I can play as a No.8, I think I have the strength to arrive in the area to finish the plays."

It feels premature to judge a player whose career is truly in its infancy, but there are some areas of his game that Moscardo will be hoping to develop in the coming years.

Despite believing that he can operate higher up the pitch and his strong goal return in the academy, the youngster only managed one goal and assist for the senior side last season. Another sign that he is perhaps playing within himself in his offensive actions is that he does not always progress the play with his passing, with a lot of his ball-playing coming in his own half.

Defensively there are few faults to pick, but he is not the fastest and is occasionally susceptible to being pulled out of position by opposition forwards.

A slight drop-off in his performances in the autumn drew criticism with expectations high, while fitness problems have also hampered him. He even suffered with appendicitis in the summer.

Nominally a defensive midfielder who compliments his fine reading of the game by breaking the lines with lung-busting forward runs with the ball at his feet, the parallels are clear to see with Arsenal and England star Rice.

Moscardo's ceiling is arguably higher, though, as he combines typical Brazilian technical ability with his exceptional base-level midfield capabilities.

As for the player himself, he admires his Argentine former team-mate Fausto Vera. "Since Fausto arrived at Corinthians, I have always really liked his style," he said. "I watched him play and I looked up to him a lot, I tried to repeat it."

Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona have all been left disappointed as PSG beat them to the Brazilian's signature, with the move confirmed in the final week of the January window. However, his career in Paris will not begin immediately.

While undergoing his medical, it's understood that a foot problem was discovered, and Moscardo requires surgery to rectify the issue. He will travel to Doha to undergo the procedure, after which he is expected to be out for three months, and as such he has been sent on loan back to Corinthians until the summer of 2024. PSG, though, will be hoping that his debut is worth the wait.

In the long-term, his business studies already have Moscardo thinking about what will come after his playing days. "I wanted to get away from the more physical part and sport to focus on the administrative part and business management, which is something that interests me a lot," he said. "Maybe, at the end of my career, I can think about managing a club in the future or working in some administrative area in football."