Sevilla set to sign Ganso from Sao Paulo

Paulo Henrique Ganso, once attached to Neymar at the hip, is finally prepared to abandon South American football.

In conversation with SporTV, Sao Paulo's president, Carlos Augusto de Barros e Silva, admitted to granting Ganso's wish of moving to a Europe and praised the Brazilian midfielder for his behaviour since he joined the Tricolor in 2012.

"Ganso is out of the plans of Sao Paulo for the rest of the season," Leco, as he is known, said, according to Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC. "He told me that he would like to go to the team that he wants. It's a condition that I have to accept. He has always behaved very well, and contributed with his wonderful football."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Sevilla acknowledged that its pursuit of Ganso is progressing. As Matias Kranevitter and Joaquin Correa were being presented at the Andalusian club, Monchi, its sporting director and transfer wizard, said the club was "relatively optimistic" about the situation but referred to the deal as a "complex operation."

According to Estadio Deportivo, Sevilla's first two offers for Ganso didn't satisfy Sao Paulo, but a third proposal of €9 million is expected to test the Tricolor's resolve. The "complex operation" that Monchi speaks likely refers to third-party ownership, as DIS Esporte, a Brazilian investment fund, apparently owns 68 percent of the player's economic rights.

Related: Spanish court dismisses case in relation to Neymar's transfer to Barcelona

Not too long ago, Ganso and Neymar formed one of the most fearsome duos ever seen in Brazilian football. The partners in crime were the heart of Santos FC when O Peixe won the 2010 Copa do Brasil and, more importantly, the 2011 Copa Libertadores, the former loading the latter's bow with arrows on a weekly basis.

However, while Neymar went on to join Barcelona and play alongside some of the planet's top footballers, Ganso's development stalled in another example of a Brazilian player who was hyped too soon. He struggled at the 2011 Copa America while representing Brazil and, after reportedly complaining about his salary, joined Sao Paulo. But things didn't get better for him at the Morumbi, as the dark cloud continued to hover over his head. He was even outshone by Ronaldinho in the 2013 Copa Libertadores.

The plan for Ganso and Neymar to win the World Cup for Brazil is no longer realistic, but, with a chance to play under Jorge Sampaoli, who apparently sees the underachiever as a deep-lying playmaker, there will finally be a chance for Ganso to measure himself against challenging opponents.