Gerson insists on a transfer toCruiseand considers not returning to theZenit, scheduled for January 12th on São Petersburgo. Essa possibility arises after the Russian club refused Cruzeiro’s proposal of 12 million euros plus defender Jonathan Jesus, valued at up to 15 million euros. The 28-year-old midfielder already has a verbal agreement with the Minas Gerais team and seeks to pressure the Russians to accept the negotiation before the start of the pre-season.
Cruzeiro treats the signing of Gerson as a priority for the 2026 season, with the approval of coach Tite, who worked with the player at Flamengo. The celestial board is racing against time to resolve the situation by January 11th, the internal deadline to define the business positively or negatively. Apesar of the initial refusal, the Minas Gerais club is considering presenting a new offer without involving Jonathan Jesus, increasing the cash value to bring it closer to the investment made by Zenit.
Part of Gerson’s staff recommends caution, as failure to present again could be seen as indiscipline and further complicate negotiations. However, the midfielder shows a strong desire to return to Brazilian football, motivated by the opportunity to compete for titles and return to the team’s radar for the Copa of the Mundo.
Position of the parties involved
Zenit maintains a rigid stance in negotiations and initially asked for 40 million euros for the release of Gerson, acquired for 25 million euros from Flamengo less than a year ago. The Russian club did not open an immediate dialogue after Cruzeiro’s offer, signaling that lower-than-expected values will not be considered.
- Initial offer for Cruzeiro: 12 million fixed euros plus Jonathan Jesus.
- Estimated total valuation: Cerca from 24 to 27 million euros.
- Original order for Zenit: 40 million euros.
- Russian investment in Gerson: 25 million euros in 2025.
The Cruzeiro board highlights the daily dialogue with the Russians and praises the Zenit’s respectful stance in conversations.
Player’s desire
Gerson clearly expresses his desire to return to Brasil, where he has already won important titles with Flamengo, including the 2019 Libertadores and two Brasileiros. The midfielder has not completely adapted to Russian football and sees Cruzeiro as a chance to work again with Tite, with whom he had a good relationship.
The player’s father and manager, Marcão, recently visited Belo Horizonte for meetings with the celestial board, including Bruno Spindel. Essas conversations reinforced mutual interest, with details such as salaries, contract length and bonuses already discussed verbally.
The pressure for a quick resolution is growing because the midfielder is on vacation at Brasil and the reintroduction at Rússia is approaching. Caso there is no agreement, Gerson must return to São Petersburgo to avoid contractual complications.
Recent trading history
The negotiations gained momentum at the end of 2025, when Cruzeiro expressed formal interest. In December, vice-president Pedro Junio confirmed the conversations and admitted the difficulty of the deal due to the greatness of the player and the Russian club.
At the beginning of January 2026, Marcão landed on Belo Horizonte to learn about the structure of Toca and Raposa and align details. After Logo, Cruzeiro formalized the proposal that included Jonathan Jesus, but Zenit refused without opening negotiations.
The Minas Gerais club is now preparing adjustments to the offer, possibly increasing the fixed amount to recover the Russian investment without the defender. Internamente, there is optimism for a positive outcome, driven by the athlete’s will.
New Cruzeiro strategy
With the refusal of the initial proposal, Cruzeiro evaluates alternative ways to convince Zenit. One option is to increase the cash part, keeping the total close to the 25 million euros invested by the Russians.
The celestial SAF demonstrates a willingness to make a significant contribution, within the budget planned for 2026. The focus remains on maintaining the current squad and on specific reinforcements such as Gerson, seen as a fundamental piece for competitions such as Libertadores.
Jonathan Jesus, 21, is attracting long-term interest from Zenit, but Cruzeiro would prefer to trade him separately if necessary. Essa flexibility could facilitate a final agreement in the coming days.
Pressure and deadlines
January 12th marks the start of Zenit’s pre-season at São Petersburgo, with friendlies scheduled before Campeonato Russo’s return. Gerson vive indefinição e avalia opções para forçar a saída, mas assessores alertam para riscos de ruptura contratual.
Cruzeiro maintains constant contact with representatives of the player and the Russian club. The expectation is to resolve everything before the deadline, avoiding major complications.
Despite the obstacles, sources involved believe in a happy ending, driven by Gerson’s common desire to defend the celestial shirt.
Gerson’s profile details
Gerson accumulates remarkable passages through Fluminense, Roma, Flamengo and Olympique from Marseille before Zenit. No Flamengo, played more than 200 games and won 12 titles.
At 28 years old, the midfielder is looking for visibility to return to the Brazilian team. The partnership with Tite is seen as an asset to increase performance in 2026.
In Zenit, he overcame his initial injury and became a starter, but does not hide his preference for returning to Brasil.
The contract with the Russians runs until 2030, which reinforces the European club’s position of strength in negotiations.
Repercussion on the market
The possible arrival of Gerson positions Cruzeiro as a protagonist in the 2026 transfer market. The club has already announced reinforcements and is looking to put together a competitive squad to fight for national and continental titles.
Competitors monitor the situation, but the verbal agreement with Raposa gives the miners an advantage. The soap opera continues with daily chapters until the final definition.
