Sports
Flamengo Closes In on Luiz Henrique Ahead of Libertadores
The €35 million deal with Zenit makes the winger the second-most expensive signing in Brazilian football history.
Flamengo is finalizing the signing of Luiz Henrique from Zenit for up to €35 million, racing against time ahead of their match against Cruzeiro. Bernardo Ramos analyzes the tactical impact of the winger, remaining squad gaps, and the club's sudden shift in transfer targets.
Flamengo is in advanced talks to sign winger Luiz Henrique from Russia's Zenit. The deal is valued at approximately €30 million fixed plus €5 million in performance-related add-ons, totaling €35 million. If completed on these terms, it will become the second-most expensive signing in Brazilian football history, behind only Lucas Paquetá, also signed by the Rio club. The breakthrough in talks was first reported by journalist Caê Mota on ge.com.
The Rubro-Negro board is working quickly to complete the paperwork so the forward can feature in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16 against Cruzeiro next Wednesday. In the video above, Bernardo Ramos breaks down the transfer details and questions the strategic consistency of the club's squad planning.
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Upgrade on the Wing and Shifting Profile
A Fluminense academy graduate who had spells at Real Betis and Botafogo before moving to Zenit, Luiz Henrique plays as a left-footed right winger. For Bernardo, the player represents a clear upgrade in quality over options like Luiz Araújo and Plata, offering proven technical quality. However, the pundit noted the sudden shift in the club's transfer profile, pivoting from Thiago Almada—a playmaker who operates on the left and serves as cover for Arrascaeta—to an outright winger.
River Plate also entered the race for Thiago Almada, despite the financial disparity between the markets: while the Argentine league winner earns $500,000 for the title, the Copa do Brasil champion can take home over R$70 million. Despite having superior revenue and investment capacity, the Carioca club faced hurdles due to the player's preference for Argentine football.
Registration Deadlines and Squad Gaps
Director José Boto is racing against the clock to finalize signings before the Copa Libertadores registration deadline this Friday. While manager Leonardo Jardim requested reinforcements out wide, Bernardo argues that signing Luiz Henrique—who is set to earn the squad's highest salary—does not eliminate the urgent need for a backup center-forward behind Pedro.
With Pedro frequently facing physical setbacks, the commentator stresses that Bruno Henrique is not a natural number nine. Additionally, a potential exit for Nicolás de la Cruz to ease the wage bill would create a need to seek reinforcements in midfield as well.
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