Grêmio rush to tie down four starters, see details | OneFootball

Grêmio’s board faces a major challenge in the coming weeks: deciding the future of key players in the squad managed by Luís Castro.

Four starting players are nearing the end of their contracts, which has raised concern behind the scenes at the club to avoid losing important athletes.

The most urgent case is that of midfielder Arthur, whose deal expires in June. Although the player told ge in an interview that he wants to stay with Tricolor, the talks are being handled cautiously by the board, and there has still been no concrete progress.

In addition, a return to Juventus in Italy, with whom he is under contract until mid-2027, has not been ruled out.

In March, Arthur told the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport that he admires the possession-based style of Juve coach Luciano Spalletti and admitted that he could adapt well to the system.

Three other starters — Pavon, Amuzu, and Carlos Vinicius — are also under contract only until the end of the year.

This means that from July onward, they will already be free to sign pre-contract agreements with other teams and leave for free at the end of the season. Internally, Grêmio remains calm, denies that talks have already begun, and plans to move forward in negotiations at what they call the “appropriate time.”

Carlos Vinicius’ stay is seen as the most important negotiation and one that appears likely to be resolved easily.

The team’s outright top scorer this season with 11 goals (six of them in the Brasileirão), the center forward is currently the squad’s biggest source of stability.

He is fully adapted to Porto Alegre, even working off the pitch as a preacher at church services in the region.

In addition, his current contract includes triggers that make him more likely to stay.

There is an automatic renewal clause through the end of 2027 if he plays in 60% of the matches, a very likely target since he has featured in all 19 matches of 2026 so far.

Another trigger, though unlikely to materialize, is a contract extension in the event he is called up for the World Cup by Brazil or Portugal.

Among the substitutes, two 37-year-old players are also in the final months of their contracts, which run through December.

Midfielder Willian has been used quite often, making 16 appearances (six as a starter), and is the 10th player with the most minutes in the squad.

Right-back Marcos Rocha, meanwhile, is in a very different situation. Signed in 2025 as a starter and dressing-room leader, he has lost ground under Luís Castro and has not taken the field in the last 10 matches.

To give an idea, even with João Pedro injured, the Portuguese coach has preferred to deploy forward Pavon at right-back rather than use the veteran.

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

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