If Manchester United or Chelsea are to bring Gerson to Europe this summer, they'll be starting well back in the field.

It broke last week in Brazil that both United and Chelsea had been in contact with Fluminense to register their interest in Gerson.

But while the 17 year-old's father admits Flu is likely to cash in this summer, the odds are against United and Chelsea being his next destination.

Marcao, Gerson's doting father, was in Europe earlier this year, meeting with officials from Barcelona and Juventus. And while Flu control 60 per cent of the teen's registration, tribalfootball.com understands the remaining percentage is held by an investment firm with close ties to Manchester City.

Whatever happens, Marcao admits Flu's difficult financial situation mean plans to move to Europe could be brought forward for later this year.

"We are very grateful to Fluminense, Fluminense helped raise my child," said the 48 year-old.

"We set up a 'Gerson Project' for him to get here, we left everything.

"I failed to buy clothes, sneakers for my daughters to invest in boots for him.

"The president is doing his damnedest to keep him here. In my opinion, as father of Gerson, I think Gerson will not stay long in Brazil because there are financial problems. Not only Gerson, but several players are the safety valve of the club and if the club is in very great difficulty, they end up having to get rid of whom the would love to stay for many years."

Marcao confirmed there'd been offers from Juve and Barca tabled - after his visit to both clubs this year.

"The proposal was not made to me, but I heard that a proposal was made to the club, I do not know the value. I was in Barcelona, I went there, I met the directors of Barcelona."

Confirmation of Juventus' interest comes directly from their South American scout, Javier Ribalta, who has been following Gerson for over 18 months. Ribalta says comparisons with Paul Pogba are fair.

"He is a good player. Pogba is Pogba, but Gerson looks a bit like the Pogba, only left-sided," he says. "I've watched him for a very long time. We all know about him."

It was his performance at this year's U20 South American Championships that sparked the interest of United and Chelsea, with both Premier League giants sounding out Flu about a price.

Brazil U20 coach Alexandre Gallo declared: "He's a player of great technical ability, with a knack of snuffing out danger. He is a mature player for his age, skilled and technical. He is a great talent.

"Despite being young, he exercises leadership over older players, oddly enough. He is a good guy, a nice boy to manage."

"There were many scouts at the South Americans," recalled Flu sports chief Fernando Simone.

"For everyone, the answer was the same: we have no interest in negotiating for Gerson. It is impossible to sell Gerson for €10 million."

Marcao adds: "The Juventus project is very good, but Barcelona is something else. A crazy thing.

"At Juve, they told me my son would immediately have minutes in the senior team. He would also be the poster boy for Juve in Brazil, even though many important Brazilians have played for them in the past."

Gerson's emergence was a shock for Marcao, who had never played football in his life.

"It was a miracle of God!" he exclaims.

"He always played a category above. He's a quiet kid, kind-hearted, a great son, very family-oriented. He likes to stay at home because he has a few moments with us, always with the Selecao, or with the club. He's a golden boy."

When he realised Gerson had a special talent, Marcao quit his job to devote himself to his son's career. It was a decision made with the family, which they call the 'Gerson Project'.

"How many boys in our neighborhood are working, how many others are in drug trafficking? Look at the opportunity we had. We cannot sabotage our own opportunity. I sold scrap metal to take my son to training. We're not millionaires, but our lives have changed a lot."

And this year promises to be one of more positive change, if Flu relent and agree to sell the young starlet.

"I see what they say about me in Europe," says Gerson. "It's very rewarding because I work hard every day to improve. I just want to continue training and improving."