Despite debt and bigger US offer, Calleri goes against camp for new deal | OneFootball

A change in the terms of the offer presented by São Paulo last week halted progress in negotiations to renew Calleri’s contract, which runs until the end of the year.

According to information obtained by AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, the striker’s representatives rejected the new financial terms offered by the board, causing negotiations to fall back to the initial stage.

In addition to securing the forward’s stay, the board’s plan aims to address a financial liability involving the player, with the accumulated amount estimated at around R$ 6 million.

The outstanding debts refer to overdue image rights payments and contractual bonuses that the club has failed to pay since 2024.

São Paulo’s initial strategy was to include a repayment schedule for these outstanding amounts directly in the new contract, with the goal of spreading the financial impact over the term of the new deal.

Despite the gap between the sides’ financial positions, sources involved in the process believe the situation can still be reversed because of the player’s stance. People close to the talks say Calleri remains firmly intent on staying at Morumbi, turning down overseas offers that carry major financial advantages compared to his current earnings in Brazilian football.

The Argentine striker is being monitored on the international market. Orlando City of the United States submitted a formal offer with figures above what the player currently earns. At the same time, clubs from Mexico and Argentina are assessing the situation, including Boca Juniors, which recently made inquiries to check the contract status of the No. 9. Its president, former playmaker Juan Román Riquelme, is an outspoken admirer of the player.

Behind the scenes, the center forward’s stance has been crucial to keeping the dialogue alive. Members of the player’s own camp even indicated that a transfer would be the most viable alternative given the outstanding financial liability and the way the club has handled the meetings. Calleri, however, disagreed with his agents’ recommendation and reiterated that São Paulo is his priority, even ruling out the opening of talks with any other team in the domestic market.

The expectation among the club’s top brass and the player’s representatives is that meetings will resume in the coming days. The goal will be to build a deal structure that aligns the terms for extending the contract with the financial planning needed to fully settle the outstanding debts.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.