Vasco close in on SAF deal, but hit by Conmebol demands | OneFootball

Vasco is going through decisive days behind the scenes to finalize the sale of its SAF. Although the internal mood is one of great optimism and talks with businessman Marcos Lamacchia are at a very advanced stage, a new warning sign has appeared on the horizon. The prospect of a positive outcome and the imminent signing of the memorandum of understanding now shares attention with a major legal obstacle that has been overlooked by part of the sports media.

The main issue involves strict international rules and so-called financial fair play. The possible buyer of the club’s football operations is the stepson of Leila Pereira, the current president of Palmeiras. This direct connection, since he is the son of the president’s husband, raises a very serious red flag over multi-club ownership in the sport. Even if the deal is approved by regulatory agencies in Brazil, the two teams will inevitably compete in the same tournaments, such as the Brazilian Championship or competitions organized by Conmebol.

+ Expert explains the impact of A-Cap’s unfreezing on the sale of Vasco SAF

International obstacles in Vasco’s sale

According to professor José Humberto, from the Corporate Law channel, the problem goes far beyond the formal control provided for under Brazilian law. Sports bodies outside the country, such as Fifa, analyze the fundamental concept of “real influence.” This means that even without direct and evident legal ties between the companies, highly concentrated capital within the same family circle could amount to a major conflict of interest. There is a well-founded fear that this close relationship could create frequent suspicions of sporting favoritism or transfers outside market standards.

For the deal with the investor to move forward without the real risk of being blocked by competitors or heavily punished abroad, Brazil’s regulatory agency will need to impose strict and unprecedented limits. The transaction is unlikely to be approved without major legal restrictions. The expectation in the financial market is that the agreement will require very heavy conditions, such as a corporate “blind trust” model or a long management quarantine, preventing the businessman from taking full control while his stepmother remains in the president’s chair of the strong rival club.

Marcos Lamacchia and Pedrinho – Photos: Reproduction

Approval process and the SAF conditions

While the legal department carefully analyzes these complex international hurdles, Vasco’s board is trying to stay calm as it closes the final details of the sizable contract. The memorandum of understanding is very close to being signed by the parties, guaranteeing full exclusivity in the negotiations. Internally, there is a firm promise to deliver a major and easy-to-understand presentation of the new sporting project, with special care taken to maintain complete transparency with the fans throughout the long administrative transition process.

It is extremely important to stress that signing this preliminary document does not in any way seal the final sale. After the initial agreement, the binding contract will still need to go through a long and tortuous bureaucratic path within Vasco’s intense political structure. The text of the document will have to be exhaustively debated and formally approved by the deliberative council, ratified by the historic board of benefactors, and finally submitted to members at the Extraordinary General Assembly (AGE), ensuring that the club’s members have the final say over the future of the institution in the Brasileirão.

+ Follow Papo na Colina on social media: Thread, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and Google News.

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