It's off: pressure and lack of funds make Santos drop Arboleda | OneFootball

The possibility of rival Santos signing center-back Robert Arboleda is practically over.

According to what AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, two factors weighed heavily in the coastal club’s decision to all but consider the talks finished.

The first one (and, we would say, the most significant) is that the 34-year-old Ecuadorian’s name caused strong discontent among board members allied with their president, Marcelo Teixeira.

The report heard from people linked to the Santos board that Arboleda’s cost is not worth the overall package. The defender’s monthly cost reaches R$ 1 million, made up of R$ 700,000 fixed in his employment contract and R$ 300,000 taken on by São Paulo to offset personal debts incurred by the player in the market.

Added to the financial issue is the player’s history of off-field incidents, considered a risk factor by Santos’ top brass because of his advanced age and disciplinary profile.

But, of course, the internal dissatisfaction at Vila Belmiro is not the only issue. Santos does not want to pay Tricolor anything for the deal.

As AMT has already revealed, Arboleda’s name was suggested to Santos football executive Alexandre Mattos, and he received head coach Cuca’s technical approval for talks to begin.

To seal the transfer, São Paulo’s board is demanding financial compensation of US$ 1 million (approximately R$ 5.4 million at the current exchange rate). The amount would be used in full by the Morumbi club to settle a financial issue with the player’s agent, Pepe Chamorro.

With Arboleda having agreed to play in a Santos shirt, their board looked for alternatives to keep the deal moving. And they wanted to take the opportunity to try to get rid of some players in their squad who are no longer part of the plans.

The report learned from sources in São Paulo’s top brass at least one of the names on a list sent by the coastal rival: Zé Rafael. The veteran 32-year-old defensive midfielder, known for his spell at Palmeiras, has declined this season and is looking for a club willing to take him away from Vila Belmiro.

Well then, it will not be São Paulo opening its doors to the player. AMT has learned that São Paulo’s board has already informed Santos that it has no interest in this type of deal. And that the condition for Arboleda’s release has already been agreed even with Chamorro himself.

PACKED AND READY TO GO

Out of the plans ever since he abandoned Tricolor and disappeared for a month, the 34-year-old Ecuadorian has been offered to the coastal rival for about 15 days. At first, they turned down the “offer.” But in recent days they resumed talks with the player’s camp.

The report found that coach Cuca approves of the Ecuadorian defender’s profile and views a possible signing positively. Experienced and with extensive experience in Brazilian football, Arboleda has traits considered important to strengthen Santos’ defensive system throughout the season.

According to what AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR learned from sources in São Paulo’s upper management, Arboleda has no real chance of staying at Morumbi, as part of the fanbase had argued after absences in defense and Dória’s departure forced coach Dorival Júnior to use academy youngsters such as Osório.

The final nail in the coffin came with the player’s decision to formally notify the club through the courts, demanding his immediate reinstatement to the squad.

Some journalists who cover São Paulo on a daily basis even said the center-back would be reinstated at Dorival’s request, but the football department no longer accepts working with the player. There is resistance from the squad leaders as well.

Arboleda has been receiving inquiries from several clubs in Brazil and abroad, but none of them developed into a concrete permanent transfer offer. The only offer came from Vitória, which wanted him on loan until the end of the season, something that Tricolor rejected.

Since arriving at Tricolor in 2017, Arboleda has established himself as one of the team’s main defensive references, collecting titles, call-ups to the Ecuador national team, and an affinity with part of the fanbase. Despite the less favorable moment, a possible departure is not ruled out, as long as there is sporting or financial return for the club.

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