Nothing is so bad that it can’t get worse in the current São Paulo.
After promising full strength and not sparing efforts to sign Allan, the Morumbi club sees the Flamengo midfielder drifting further away. Worse, he might land in the São Paulo capital, yes. But to play for rival Corinthians.
AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR found out that the absolute chaos behind the scenes at the São Paulo club drove the biggest supporter of the Flamengo player’s transfer to Morumbi, agent Giuliano Bertolucci, crazy.
At least three sources consulted by the report said that the agent was irritated with São Paulo’s, let’s say, sluggishness in the deal.
In fact, despite having an agreement with the player, football manager Rui Costa is tied up due to the vote for the impeachment process of president Julio Casares, which takes place on Friday (16). Until then, more drastic decisions are frozen.
The reason for the one-year loan negotiations being stalled is the demand from the Rio club, which requires Marcos Antônio to be part of the deal to release Allan. The Tricolor wanted two separate negotiations. But the Flamengo team is adamant.
And if things weren’t complicated enough, they got a bit worse with Corinthians entering the fray. The rival signaled a higher and upfront payment for Allan’s loan. And without internal crisis, they presented Bertolucci with a more attractive sports project, taking the lead in signing the player.
THE MESS
After Flamengo’s football manager, José Boto, returned from Europe and gave a positive signal to negotiate Allan’s loan to Tricolor, the Rio club changed its tone after the proposal was taken to their board. And, as speculated since December, the attempt is to get Marcos Antônio in the negotiations.
The report found that Boto informed São Paulo manager Rui Costa on Thursday morning, justifying that it was a decision by his board. And that, for the midfielder, they would agree to more than just loan Allan. They would also give Tricolor a sum for the deal. A generosity from the wealthy Rio team to the struggling São Paulo team.
As if a little misfortune wasn’t enough, Costa, who denied the first Flamengo attempt, ended up leaking to them that things aren’t going well at Morumbi due to the impeachment vote of president Julio Casares, which will happen next week. To the Rio journalists, the information is that all negotiations at São Paulo are stalled until then. The Tricolor, of course, denies it.
Whether it’s a Flamengo bluff or not, time will tell. The fact is that the Rio team has put their machine to work. They want Marcos Antônio and spared no effort. As the signs are clear this season, see their negotiation to get Kaio Jorge from Cruzeiro.
Rumors circulated on Thursday night indicating that the midfielder’s agent was at the training center. Which could be another indication. Even if São Paulo enforces its right to purchase the player from the Italians at Lazio, who guarantees there is money to give Marcos Antônio a salary increase?
The midfielder is, today, without false modesty, the main piece in coach Hernán Crespo’s scheme and considered the team’s pillar for 2026. In other words, immediately, São Paulo’s official stance is that there is no interest in letting him go. At the turn of the year, information came that the Morumbi club would act and prepay Lazio. But time passed and nothing was done. The problem? Money, obviously.
The player landed at Morumbi in July 2024, loaned for a season by the Italians with a purchase clause stipulated in case of meeting game targets.
Well, in July this year, after intense negotiation, since the Tricolor club was struggling with the well-known lack of money, São Paulo managed with Lazio to extend the loan for another year. And the purchase, previously tied to performance, became mandatory.
Now, São Paulo has committed to disbursing 4.2 million euros (about R$ 27.5 million) to have Marcos Antônio permanently. The agreement provides for payment divided into three annual installments, with the first due in June 2026.
Only with this, the Tricolor claims to secure itself against ‘intruders’ who want to intervene and take the midfielder from Morumbi. Of course, if the ‘dreaded’ Flamengo really wants the player, the negotiation would be quite complex and would have to involve the Italians, in addition to the two Brazilian clubs.
The plan is relatively simple: split the first installment in two and make the payment still in January. Have the guarantee that the purchase is definitively settled. And, with Lazio’s permission, sign a definitive contract with the midfielder.
If Marcos Antônio has changed his mind and now accepts playing for Flamengo, it’s a turnaround, as before arriving at São Paulo, he refused an approach from the Rio club.
This time, however, the information coming from Rio de Janeiro (RJ) indicates that Marcos Antônio does not oppose a move to Rio de Janeiro (SP). But he also doesn’t want trouble with the Morumbi club. If he stays, he stays, without resentment or frustration.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
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