Vasco eye up Jhon Córdoba, Krasnodar star, for the number 9 shirt | OneFootball

As already mentioned in Papo na Colina, the departure of Pablo Vegetti to Cerro Porteño in Paraguay created a technical and emotional gap in the Vasco da Gama squad. To replace the former captain and goal reference, the club's management made an ambitious move in the international market. According to exclusive information from journalist Marcello Carvalho from the channel VDG Cast, the club made a formal inquiry to sign Colombian striker Jhon Córdoba, who currently plays for Krasnodar in Russia. His name was discussed and internally approved as the ideal option to take the immediate starting position for the 2026 season.

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The financial hurdle and Vasco's future in the market

Despite the concrete interest, the negotiation faced a severe obstacle: financial demands. The Russian club, known for being a tough negotiator, set a price for the player's release that was considered beyond Vasco's budgetary capabilities at this time. The requested amount stalled the progress of the talks, resulting in the cooling of the deal. However, the management has not ruled out Córdoba's name definitively. The strategy now is to keep the player on the radar and plan to resume talks in future windows if economic conditions become more favorable.

While the situation with the Colombian "tank" remains unresolved, Vasco acted to secure Brenner. The striker, who arrived in Rio de Janeiro this Friday (23rd), is seen as an important alternative for the sector, although with different characteristics. The club's management continues to aim to ensure that the coaching staff has quality replacement options before the start of the main competitions on the calendar, not ruling out new attempts for a traditional center forward.

Who is Jhon Córdoba?

To understand the extent of Vasco's ambition, it's necessary to analyze the career of Jhon Córdoba. At 32 years old (in the 2026 season), the Colombian is a 1.88m center forward who has built a solid career in the European elite. Discovered by Envigado, he played in La Liga (Espanyol and Granada), but it was in the Bundesliga (Germany) that he made his mark. Playing for Mainz 05, Cologne, and Hertha Berlin, Córdoba gained fame for his immense physical strength, ball protection ability, and keen goal-scoring instinct.

At Krasnodar since 2021, he has become one of the main stars of Russian football and a regular figure in the Colombian National Team call-ups. Unlike mobile strikers, Córdoba is a classic area reference, capable of battling defenders and deciding games in aerial play, a profile very similar to what Vegetti offered, but with greater muscle explosion and experience in top world leagues.

Córdoba is a constant presence in Colombia – Photo: FCF Disclosure

Watch Jhon Córdoba's highlights:

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