Milan goalkeeper Gabriel has completed a loan switch to Napoli.
The Brazil international – capped once in 2012 – will remain in Naples until the end of the 2015/16 campaign, but there is no option for a permanent transfer thereafter.
Gabriel – full name Gabriel Vasconcelos Ferreira – is set to compete with Spaniard Pepe Reina, who has returned to Napoli from Bayern Munich, and fellow Brazilian Rafael Cabral for a starting berth.
His stock in Italy has risen due to a strong campaign spent on loan in Serie B with Carpi.
The stopper kept 23 clean sheets in 39 matches to help the minnows achieve a shock promotion to Italy’s top flight and had been expected to remain with them for a further season to continue his development.
With Carpi, he would have likely retained his place as first choice, but at Napoli playing time is not guaranteed.
The 22 year-old will hope to eventually return to Milan, where he is contracted until June 2018, while he has featured seven times for the Rossoneri first-team since being signed from Cruzeiro for a reported fee of €500,000 in July 2012.