Jair Ventura to Vasco? Vitória president reveals if talks are on

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·8. Juli 2026

Jair Ventura to Vasco? Vitória president reveals if talks are on

Vasco continues to monitor options in the transfer market for the rest of the season, but the possibility of a deal with Jair Ventura has been dealt a major blow. The president of Vitória, Fábio Mota, said in an exclusive interview with ge that the Rio club has not yet made any kind of official contact or offer for the coach. The executive stressed that the professional remains highly valued behind the scenes, which forces Vasco to keep its feet on the ground.

The president reinforced that the contractual relationship between the Salvador side and the coach does not involve a release clause, laying out a clear philosophy that blocks Vasco’s plans:

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“We don’t have release clauses for coaches. Jair is an excellent coach, he’s been doing an excellent job, and we value him a lot. We really want him to stay here. But at Vitória, we want those who want to stay. We don’t want someone to stay because of a release clause while being unhappy for not being at club A or B. We don’t sign contracts with release clauses. Vasco has not contacted us. Jair has never discussed this Vasco matter with me.”

+ Vítor Pereira rules out a return to Brazilian football and Vasco suffers another rejection

President reveals automatic renewal clause in Bahia

In addition to denying negotiations with the Cruz-Maltino club, the top executive confirmed that Jair Ventura has an automatic contract renewal clause through December 2027 if the Bahia-based team secures its place in Serie A of the Brazilian Championship. The agreement also includes the stay of football director Ítalo Papellin, which makes it even harder for Vasco to attempt a strong last-minute move. Fábio Mota also revealed that the coach has already turned down recent offers to leave the club:

“I know there was an approach from Japan before the break, and he turned it down.”

In light of the public statement from the president of the Northeastern team, the impression of advanced negotiations has fallen apart behind the scenes at São Januário. If executive director Admar Lopes truly wants to bring in the coach, he will need to formalize a concrete job proposal. Meanwhile, Vasco is holding its mid-season training activities at CT Moacyr Barbosa under the command of Bruno Lazaroni, focused on its return match precisely against the Bahia club at Barradão stadium.

Who is Jair Ventura?

The 47-year-old coach is widely known in the country for his ability to lead recovery campaigns in Brazil’s top flight. Jair Ventura began his standout career at Botafogo and has had major spells at traditional clubs such as Santos, Corinthians and Goiás.

He took charge of his current team in the closing stretch of last year and avoided relegation. In the current 2026 season, the coach won the Copa do Nordeste and eliminated Flamengo from the Copa do Brasil, a performance that keeps him backed in the role as he prepares to face Vasco in the next stage of the national tournament.