Gabriel Barbosa stated in an interview with GE that he would not play for Atlético-MG because he previously played for their rivals, Cruzeiro. In the same interview, he also explained that he had rejected an approach from Palmeiras in mid-2024 due to his connection to Flamengo. The striker's agent has mentioned there is interest from the United States and Turkey, and the player has a personal ambition to play in the US in the future.