Flamengo has established its profile and main targets for the next transfer window, which will officially open next week. The Rio club is negotiating with three players and is showing caution to ensure the ideal reinforcements, all approved by the football board and coach Leonardo Jardim.
Among the three ongoing conversations, one involves midfielder Thiago Almada, currently at Atlético de Madrid. The red and black team and the athlete’s staff have already lined up most of the points, but the final decision still depends on the player himself. This definition will be postponed until the end of the World Cup, as Argentina will play the final against Spain next Sunday, representing one of the obstacles to an immediate agreement.
Almada also received a proposal of 20 million euros (equivalent to R$117 million) from River Plate, including targets and performance bonuses. Although his priority is to remain in Europe, with no concrete offers at the moment, he considered the possibility of returning to Brazilian football. Flamengo, in turn, is betting on its good relationship with the Spanish club, with whom it recently negotiated for Samuel Lino, in addition to offering more advantageous financial conditions and a smaller number of payment installments.
The other two names under negotiation are kept strictly confidential, but negotiations are also at an advanced stage. Both were approved by Boto, football director, and coach Jardim. The next step is to obtain the approval of President Bap, who needs to analyze the feasibility, not only sporting, but mainly financial, of the operation.
The desired profile for these two secret athletes is players with less media prominence, younger and with a robust physical history to withstand the intense load of matches of the season. The club’s objective is to concentrate efforts on these three targets to maintain plan A in all positions, preventing names from leaking and causing inflation in the transfer market.
In recent weeks, several names have been speculated on Flamengo’s radar, all evaluated by the decision trio: Bap, Boto and Jardim. In some situations, disapproval from one party led the club to adjust its targets, with the coach emphasizing the urgency in signing an attacking midfielder and a winger.
