Abel begins 2026 at Palmeiras with new deal, targeting squad tweaks to end trophy drought | OneFootball

Abel Ferreira returned to Palmeiras’ pre-season at the Academia de Futebol on Tuesday, beginning his sixth year and focusing on fine-tuning the squad to end his longest trophy drought in Brazil.

According to Globo.com, after finishing 2025 as runners-up in the Paulista, Libertadores and Brasileirão, he held planning meetings, first signing a new deal through 2027 before aligning squad tweaks with president Leila Pereira and football director Anderson Barros.

Since the end of 2025 the club have sold Aníbal Moreno to River Plate, are close to announcing Micael’s loan to Inter Miami, and have signed Marlon Freitas from Botafogo, while extending Marcelo Lomba and Bruno Fuchs.

With the window open until March, only a few additions are expected. In December Ferreira said 2026 was about corrections and improvements and that major changes were unlikely, stressing targeted tweaks. He also felt last year’s 12 signings had given the squad his DNA.

One more trophy would take him to 11 and move him clear as the most decorated coach in the club’s history, he is currently tied with Oswaldo Brandão. Despite the bitter end to 2025, his internal standing remains intact. Palmeiras open on Saturday against Portuguesa in the first round of the Campeonato Paulista.

Source: Globo.com