Ex-Cruzeiro man: Jardim nearly replaced Filipe Luís at Flamengo | OneFootball

Flamengo had difficulty renewing with Filipe Luís and negotiated with Leonardo Jardim

The last weeks of 2025 were tense for Flamengo fans. This was because Flamengo had difficulties renewing Filipe Luís's contract. When the negotiation stalled, Mengo talked with Leonardo Jardim, who was leaving Cruzeiro. However, the Portuguese coach had promised to take a break from his career.

— If there is one thing I value in mister (Jardim), it is character. 'N' times he told president Pedrinho (Lourenço, from Cruzeiro) that in Brazil he would only coach Cruzeiro, no one else. After we left, there was an approach from Flamengo, a meeting, but a word is an important thing — revealed Leonardo Jardim's assistant, Diogo Dias.

— For him, more than money, character is something untouchable. In this sense, he kept his word that he would not coach another Brazilian team. He also did not want to return to work in Brazil so soon — added Jardim's assistant during his time at Cruzeiro, in an interview with ‘No Ataque’.

WHAT WERE FLAMENGO'S TARGETS?

Flamengo and Filipe Luís took a long time to reach an agreement due to debates over salary, contract duration, and termination fee. Therefore, the Rubro-Negro pursued Leonardo Jardim and two other coaches: Artur Jorge, currently in the Arab World, and Thiago Motta, former Juventus (ITA).

However, in the last week of December, Filipe Luís said “yes” to Flamengo's proposal and renewed his contract. The agreement is valid for two years, until December 2027. Now, the coach focuses on repeating 2025, when he won the Libertadores and Brasileirão.

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