Inter loanee Gabigol is flying at Flamengo with 29 goals this season

On the face of things it would appear that all is going well for Gabriel Barbosa.

The striker, commonly referred to as Gabigol, has a superb record of 29 goals and 10 assists in 37 appearances for Flamengo this season.

There have been suggestions that the 23-year-old, who is on loan at Flamengo from Inter Milan, could now be set for a high-profile move, perhaps to another European side.

However, his prolific form in front of goal doesn't mask a disciplinary problem, which has seen him pick up 10 bookings this season as well as a red card against Gremio at the weekend.

Gabriel also scored in that game, but there is clearly an issue that needs to be addressed, with Flamengo boss Jorge Jesus admitting that the player lacks emotional control.

As reported by Sempre Inter, Jesus said: 'Gabigol is the best goal scorer in the Championship, a player who wanted to play for everything, to keep scoring. I still can't make him emotionally as great a player as he is tactically and technically.

'He has trouble with controlling his emotions, but he's young, I have time to change him, I think. The best in the world don't have these problems.'

Gabriel still has time on his side to rectify this issue, but there is a concern that it could hold him back as he aims to fulfill his potential.

Hugely hyped as he commenced his career, Gabriel was dubbed the new Neymar in some quarters but so far things haven't exactly gone to plan.

After starting out at Santos, for whom he often impressed, Gabriel earned a switch to Inter in 2016 for a fee of £26million.

He has a record of just one goal in 10 appearances for Inter and hasn't played for them since 2017, having been sent out on loan on several occasions.

A stint with Benifca certainly didn't work out, with Gabriel scoring just once in five games for the Portuguese side.

However, he fared rather better when he was loaned back to Santos in 2018 and has continued to impress for Flamengo.

It appears that, for now at least, Gabriel is much more suited to playing in Brazil than in Europe and there is a possibility that he could end up joining Flamengo on a permanent basis when his loan spell expires at the end of next month.

On Sunday Flamengo take on River Plate in the final of the Copa Libertadores, with that prestigious fixture providing Gabriel with the opportunity to demonstrate his qualities in front of a wide audience.

Gabriel's contract at Inter runs until the summer of 2022, but given his outstanding form this season, now appears the perfect time for the Serie A side to cash in on him.

Fast and skilful, when he is at his best Gabriel can be very difficult to defend against.

After several years in the wilderness, his impressive form at club level this season led to him working his way back into the Brazil squad.

He featured in the draw with Nigeria last month and, although he wasn't included in the latest squad, it appears that Gabriel is at least in the thoughts of manager Tite.

In the long term Gabriel will be eager to establish himself as an important player for Brazil and add to the two goals that he scored for his country in 2016.

For now, he will be focused on the aforementioned clash against River Plate as he aims to stand out once more.

There is still much time for Gabriel to prove that he can make an impact in Europe and it will be intriguing to see what lies in store for him once his current loan spell is over.

It is clear he is still a very talented player - one goal he scored against Santos in September, when he lobbed opposing goalkeeper Everson with ease - provided a glimpse of the undoubted quality that he possesses.

Although he has proven that he can perform on a consistent basis in Brazil, Gabriel still has some work to do if he is to make the most of his talent, and he has yet to demonstrate that he can be a success in Europe.

Despite the ongoing concerns regarding his lack of discipline, it appears that Gabriel is now ready to have another attempt at trying to impress in Europe.

The possibility of him returning to Inter and finally being afforded a sustained opportunity to impress cannot be entirely ruled out, but it is difficult to envisage.

If that was to happen then, with Romelu Lukaku occupying the main striking berth, Gabriel would probably be shunted out wide, which wouldn't make the most of his ability.

The best solution would probably be for Gabriel to be sold to another European club where he can start afresh and look to build upon the major impact he has made in Brazil over the past couple of years.