Rui Costa: São Paulo ready, Flamengo eyeing Marcos Antônio | OneFootball

São Paulo football executive Rui Costa believes that the squad assembled by the Tricolor is practically complete for the challenges of the season—not only because of the new arrivals, but also due to the retention of key players. The Tricolor is in the quarterfinals of the Campeonato Paulista, and is also competing in the Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil, and Copa Sudamericana.

The director did not rule out new signings or even departures, but made it clear that São Paulo’s approach in the market will not change. So far, the club has focused on bringing in players on free transfers or loans, being selective in its choices so as not to take opportunities away from youth academy players.

“Personally, I have a lot of confidence in the squad we have today. With those who have arrived, those who have stayed, and the youngsters who need space. We have to be very selective when choosing a player from outside, because I need to understand if he adds technical value, if he has a profile we don’t have here, and if he won’t hinder the development of the players trained in Cotia. Today, we have 11 players who came through Cotia. Four or five we call transition players, who train with us and play for the U-20s. If you ask me if the squad is ready, in my opinion, yes,” the executive told UOL.

“Now, the football market is another matter. While the window is open, one of our players could leave and another could arrive, because that’s how squad building works. But I am convinced that with the work, the level of commitment this group has, with the players who have arrived, and with the growth I see daily with the president and in training, São Paulo has a team capable of competing at any level and against any opponent,” he emphasized.

So far, São Paulo has signed five reinforcements: goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, right-back Lucas Ramon, center-back Matheus Dória, and midfielders Danielzinho and Cauly. In addition, the club is also close to renewing with key squad members such as Luciano, Sabino, Marcos Antônio, and Negrucci.

“I believe we are becoming more and more assertive. We improve with each transfer window, because we have a squad base that also gets better every window. It’s not just about those who have arrived, but also those who stay and evolve as athletes. I believe it’s this combination of factors—assertiveness, respect for the executive’s challenge at the club, and the continued strength of the group—that allows newcomers to improve and perform quickly,” he analyzed.

Flamengo’s Interest in Marcos Antônio

Marcos Antônio was one of Flamengo’s targets in the transfer window, which is still open. The Rubro-Negro showed strong interest in the midfielder, but São Paulo quickly protected itself with a definitive purchase clause included in the loan contract with Lazio. Rui Costa clarified the situation.

“Marcos Antônio is a São Paulo player. There is no possibility for Flamengo to sign Marcos Antônio without talking to São Paulo. This is something we guaranteed since last year. At the end of the loan, there was already interest from other clubs in him, and then there was a risk, because he was not yet a São Paulo player. When we renewed his loan, we included a purely symbolic clause, that if São Paulo won a game in 2026, the clause would trigger [the purchase]. With that victory, he was considered a São Paulo player,” explained the director.

Rui Costa revealed that he even met with José Boto, Flamengo’s football director, to directly discuss Marcos Antônio’s situation. The Tricolor executive emphasized that São Paulo had no desire to part with “their Arrascaeta,” so much so that they did not set a price for a possible negotiation between the parties.

“How do you resist Flamengo’s interest? Through São Paulo’s market stance and stature, which is as important as Flamengo’s. That’s what I conveyed to Boto personally when I met with him, because that’s the importance that Marcos and the São Paulo fans deserved—that I go to him and say I respect and understand Flamengo’s desire, but at that moment São Paulo could not give up its Arrascaeta, its Paquetá, its Kaio Jorge. That’s where the idea came from that we had set a price, but we never did, because you don’t put a price on what you don’t want to sell. Boto was very understanding of my reasoning,” concluded the director.

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