Sports
Zenit Sets Terms for Flamengo to Sign Luiz Henrique
Russian club demands a hefty transfer fee or the inclusion of midfielder Everton Araújo in talks with Rio giants.
Zenit Saint Petersburg has set its financial demands to negotiate Luiz Henrique's transfer to Flamengo, asking between €35m and €40m or €20m plus midfielder Everton Araújo. Pundit Bernardo Ramos breaks down the negotiations and examines the technical slump under manager Leonardo Jardim following a draw against Internacional.
Zenit has defined the terms to open talks with Flamengo over the transfer of winger Luiz Henrique. According to reporting by Pablo Rua, the Russian club is willing to negotiate the player for a fee between €35 million and €40 million, or, in an alternative formula, for €20 million alongside the inclusion of midfielder Everton Araújo in the deal.
In the view of Bernardo Ramos, a successful resolution to this deal remains unlikely given the financial muscle of the Saint Petersburg club, backed by oil and gas giant Gazprom. Bernardo breaks down the behind-the-scenes dynamics of this pursuit and analyzes the steep challenges facing the Rio club's board when attempting signings of this magnitude.
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Behind the scenes of talks and transfer market moves
Despite the financial hurdles, meetings have recently taken place. William Bento, Luiz Henrique's agent, stated on social media that any final decision must go through the player's representation. Reports by Paparazzo Rubro-Negro and Gabriel Orfão reveal that the agent met with Flamengo director José Boto in Porto Alegre. Bernardo emphasizes that Luiz Henrique would represent a massive reinforcement on the right wing, viewing him as technically superior to Plata and Luiz Araújo, while dismissing rumors of a swap package involving both Plata and Everton Araújo.
Concurrently, Flamengo is in advanced negotiations to sign playmaker Thiago Almada, a topic discussed by José Boto with journalist Mauro Naves during Amazon's recent match broadcast. Talks for the Argentine attacking midfielder remain well on track behind closed doors in the football department.
Slump in form on the pitch and pressure on Leonardo Jardim
Beyond transfer market dealings, Bernardo delivered a critical assessment of Flamengo's current form on the pitch following their 1-1 draw against Internacional. In the analyst's view, the squad is underperforming and moving backward, echoing flat outings like the recent match against São Paulo. Despite an upcoming 10-day gap without fixtures, Bernardo sees no immediate signs of technical progression.
According to Bernardo's analysis, the current output stands in stark contrast to last season under Felipe Luiz, when the team lifted both the Campeonato Brasileiro and the Copa Libertadores. Following losses in the Supercopa and the Recopa Sudamericana, the arrival of Leonardo Jardim has failed to preserve that winning standard. Bernardo argues that director José Boto has both the authority and the duty to publicly hold the head coach accountable for delivering results that match the club's massive investment in the squad.
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