Gabriel Barbosa does not regret moving to Inter three years ago and still hopes to play for the Nerazzurri again.

The striker is on loan with Flamengo until 31 December, but Inter can cut the deal short and sell him elsewhere in Europe if they give the Brazilian club 5% of any fee.

However, Tuttosport today encouraged Beppe Marotta to consider giving Gabigol another chance at Inter, as Antonio Conte anxiously waits new forwards from the transfer market.

Gabigol was quoted by the paper as saying: “If I could turn back time I would still say yes to Inter’s offer.

“They’re a top club who have won everything at international level in the past and lots of Brazilians have made history there.

“I remain an Inter supporter and I always follow ‘my’ team’s matches on TV.”

Gabigol scored just one goal in nine appearances for Inter three seasons ago, failing to adjust to Italian football and ultimately leaving for Benfica, Santos and Flamengo on loan.

He recalled: “It’s hard to know what went wrong at Inter. The fans like me a lot and my teammates were always kind with me.

“I went out and about and everyone wanted to speak with me, but perhaps at that moment the team needed something different to what I could give them.

“Inter had strikers who already had experience playing together and had different characteristics compared to mine.

“There are still a lot of supporters on social media who are asking me to come back. I hardly played there but I still managed to score.

“There was a lot of expectation but it wasn’t enough. That said, I’m not giving up at all and I’m thinking about my present and future.”

Gabigol had interest from a lot of European clubs in 2016 but it was Inter’s new owners Suning, fresh from their takeover in June, who proved the most convincing.

“Having won Olympic gold with Brazil, I thought it was time to leave Santos because I’d received a few very important offers for my career,” he continued.

“I accepted Inter’s proposal because of the kindness the club showed towards me and my family. The fans gave me a similar treatment when they came to welcome me and celebrate my arrival at the airport.

“I was really motivated coming to Milan because I liked the club’s plans and I was happy to start playing in Europe, but things didn’t go like I’d imagined.

“Inter wanted to sell me to Las Palmas the next summer but I didn’t think it would be a good move for my career, so I ended up with Benfica instead, which is one of the biggest, if not the biggest club in Portugal.

“I haven’t had many opportunities in Europe since, but I don’t have regrets or hold any grudges.

Gabigol did not rule out a return to Serie A but admitted he had not made any decision regarding life after Flamengo yet.

“At the moment I want to keep training hard, playing, scoring and possibly winning things with Flamengo, at least until the end of this year” the 22-year-old said.

“Then I’ll speak with my family, my agents and naturally Inter and we’ll see what the best thing to do will be.

“I’m a hard worker, I’ve been consistent in Brazil and I’ve always done well. I hope I can get another chance with a European club.

“I’m still an Inter player so let’s see if it happens there. I learned to play in a different manner there, I learned another language and I spent time with players from other nations.”

Gabigol has scored nine goals in 10 league games with Flamengo so far this season, where he is being coached by former Sporting Lisbon coach Jorge Jesus.

It remains highly unlikely Inter will give him another chance to shine at San Siro, but Barbosa will continue to hold that ambition for now.