Youth academy overhaul saves Corinthians R$8.8 million | OneFootball

Since the suspension and subsequent removal of Augusto Melo's management in May 2025, Corinthians has been implementing structural changes in the internal processes of its youth categories. According to an investigation by the Central do Timão, the current board estimates that these changes will result in a total savings of R$ 8,857,000 in the department.

This amount also includes the hiring of new staff, athletes, coaches, scouts, directors, and coordinators. Between June and December 2025, considering all categories, 182 athletes were released by the club, generating a savings of R$ 3,700,000 per year.

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In January 2026 alone, 34 athletes from the Under-17 and 20 had their contracts terminated. These departures represent an annual savings of R$ 1,900,000. The restructuring in the sector is being led by executive Erasmo Damiani, hired in October last year, in alignment with the Alvinegro's Financial Restructuring Committee.

The cited million-dollar savings also include the termination of the Under-18 category, which represents a savings of R$ 383,000 per year, the departure of employees (R$ 2,175,000), and the replacement of the executive position, previously held by Alex Brasil (R$ 699,000).

The current board believes that the department's processes have been optimized and become more efficient. During Augusto Melo's management, according to internal evaluation, there was an excessive number of people performing similar functions, leading to unnecessary expenses.

One of the pillars of the restructuring of Corinthians' youth base was the resumption of a meticulous player recruitment process. Of the six athletes hired for the Under-20 category in 2026, none joined the club through a transfer fee.

The players signed were defenders Zé Antônio (on loan from Santa Cruz), Yago Melo and Levy Dias (both from Flamengo), left-back João Vitor (Athletico-PR), midfielder Christian Oliveira (Flamengo), and forward Ryan Evaristo (Boa Vista).

It is worth noting that the Under-20's planning for the Copinha was affected by the transferban imposed by FIFA on Corinthians, which also impacts the youth categories. The Corinthians leadership intended to have a more robust squad for the country's most important youth tournament, but this was not possible.

On the field, Corinthians' Under-20 is in good form this season and is in second place in the category's Brasileirão, with seven points, two less than the leader Vasco da Gama.

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