Inter Milan ends Gabriel Barbosa saga after agreeing five-year deal from Santos

Inter Milan have put an end to the long-running transfer saga of Gabriel Barbosa after announcing his signing from Santos. Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City, Juventus and, more recently, Manchester United have all been linked with the 20-year-old forward through the summer but the Italian have finally won the race.

Barbosa, better known as Gabigol, starred for Brazil's gold medal-winning side at the Olympic Games in Rio this summer, forming an impressive attack along Neymar and Manchester City's new signing Gabriel Jesus.

However he had already attracted the attentions of a number of European clubs after breaking through as one of the biggest sensations of Brazilian football.

Barcelona were said to have a preference option to sign him thanks to a first refusal they agreed with Santos as part of the Neymar's move to the Nou Camp in the summer of 2013.

Meanwhile, in June ESPN Brasil reported that Arsenal had launched an offer to lure the forward to the Emirates as Arsene Wenger was desperately looking to bolster his attack.

Later the Daily Mirror claimed Chelsea had joined the race for his services after new manager Antonio Conte gave the go-ahead to make an offer for the player.

However, Juventus emerged later as the frontrunners to sign the player after Santos president Modesto Roma claimed his club had already accepted a €20m ($22m, £17m) offer for the player to move to Serie A.

Yet the deal with the Italian champions fell through over personal terms and earlier this month The Sun reported that Manchester United were ready to take advantage of the situation to lure him to Old Trafford.

Gabigol, meanwhile, reopened then the speculations over a potential move to Barcelona after claiming that he would like to play along Neymar at the Nou Camp, as he has done during the Olympics.

However, Inter have finally been the winners of the saga after the Italians clubs have confirmed his arrival from Santos in a five-year-deal. The Italian club have failed to disclose the details of the agreement but La Gazzetta Dello Sport claims that they have paid €29m (£24.6m, $34.3m) to get the deal done.

"The Brazilian striker has moved to Milan after four seasons at Santos where he won the Sao Paulo state championship twice in 2015 and 2016. He's signed a deal keeping him at the Nerazzurri club until 2021," Inter confirmed.

"Gabigol has represented his country at U15, U17, U20 and U23 level before making his debut for the senior team in March 2016. He has since played four times and scored twice for the Verde-Amarela. He was part of the history-making Olympic squad that won Brazil's first-ever gold medal in football at Rio 2016. As we wait to see him in action at San Siro, everyone connected with Inter gives Gabigol a warm welcome to the club, wishing him a happy birthday and a fantastic career in a Nerazzurri shirt."