Vasco drop midfielder pursuit, Admar Lopes eyes two positions | OneFootball

The dream of signing Santiago Sosa has come to an end at São Januário. Vasco da Gama officially gave up on acquiring the Racing midfielder due to the high financial demands of the Argentine club. The SAF board, led by Admar Lopes, assessed that the cost of the operation (transfer + salaries) would compromise the 2026 budget and would not present the ideal cost-benefit for the moment. This information was confirmed and detailed by journalist Lucas Pedrosa.

+ Vasco is interested in signing Igor Gomes

Change of course: In search of a “Little Engine”

With the refusal for the Argentine defensive midfielder, Fernando Diniz's technical team redefined the priority target in the market. Vasco is no longer looking for a first defensive midfielder “guard dog,” a role currently well performed by Barros and Hugo Moura. The full focus now is on finding a “little engine”.

This football term defines a classic number 8, a box-to-box player. The desired profile is an athlete with the stamina to offer intensity in high pressing — a basic requirement of Diniz's system — but who also has the technical quality and speed to drive the ball in the offensive transition. The team misses someone who can break through opposing lines with short dribbles or bursts, connecting defense to attack more quickly.

Sosa's values are beyond what Vasco can pay – Photo: Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images

Final priorities to complete the squad

Vasco's market remains active but precise, aiming to avoid bloating the squad. Besides this dynamic midfielder, the club is also monitoring the arrival of another defender to complete the group for the first semester. Names like the Colombian Jefferson Lerma (formerly of Crystal Palace) have been mentioned behind the scenes as market possibilities, but the board maintains absolute secrecy about new targets to avoid auctions and speculations that could inflate negotiations.

What is certain is that the strategy has changed: the heavy and concentrated investment in Sosa is out, and a careful search for a market opportunity that brings dynamism is in. The fans are eagerly waiting, as the lack in this area of creation and transition was evident in the goalless draw against Madureira.

Lerma is once again considered for Vasco's midfield – Photo: Crystal Palace Release

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