André's agent recalls failed Milan move, questions Corinthians | OneFootball

Last Tuesday (22), the agent of Corinthians defensive midfielder André Luiz, Diogo Silva of Web Soccer, gave an exclusive interview to ESPN Brasil at the event promoted by TransferRoom in São Paulo and recalled the failed negotiations involving the young midfielder’s move to AC Milan, Italy, at the start of the season. The event in question was organized by the digital platform that connects club executives and player agents from all over the world to discuss player transfers.

“It was the president’s decision (not to sell André to Milan). At that moment, Corinthians and André were enjoying a great spell in the Paulista, with André scoring goals and in excellent form, but the president decided not to sign the proposal, which had already been documented and discussed. He decided not to complete the sale,” he began.

Photo: Victor Lannes/Agência Corinthians

According to ESPN Brasil, the first offer presented by the Italian giant was around 17 million euros (R$ 104 million at the exchange rate at the time) and was rejected by Corinthians. Later, according to the same outlet, the Rossoneri raised the offer to a fixed 18 million euros (R$ 133 million at the time), plus four million euros in bonuses (two tied to targets to be achieved while still at Timão and the rest by the Italian club) for 70% of the player’s economic rights.

At the time, Timão even accepted the offer, but chose to back out and not release the player after outside pressure from the fans and statements from head coach Dorival Júnior, who, during that period, said he was against André Luiz’s departure. Alvinegro prioritized keeping the player for the Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil, and CONMEBOL Libertadores, believing he could be sold for a higher amount.

Afterward, André Luiz’s agent stressed that not selling the player ended up being a mistake on Corinthians’ part, but assured that the defensive midfielder is focused on continuing to wear the Corinthians shirt, where he came through the ranks and emerged as one of the team’s standout players.

The agent also revealed that he recently spoke with the player to plan the steps for the next transfer window, including talks with Alvinegro to define a price with a future sale in mind.

“Obviously, today it is understood that it was a mistake, but in his (the president’s) mind it was the right decision at that moment. Unfortunately, André could not be transferred. Today he is at Corinthians, a great shirt, a great club, and he will continue his work. When everyone is sure that the time has come for him to be transferred, it will happen.”

“I was with André yesterday to reassure him, to tell him that everything has been reset, that there is no negotiation at all now, and that we are now going to handle things more calmly and prepare the next window with peace of mind. The expectation is to discuss with Corinthians a new figure so that we can go to the market and align the number Corinthians wants with clubs that may be interested in André,” he continued.

He then went on to analyze the fact that the player remained at Corinthians and highlighted the difficulty of working with Timão in that regard, also revealing that André Luiz had talks with midfielder Luka Modric and former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, now a Milan executive.

It is worth remembering that the defensive midfielder was on coach Carlo Ancelotti’s preliminary list for the Brazil national team friendlies between late September and early October this year. However, he recently returned from a grade 2 muscle injury in his left thigh and was ultimately not called up. The No. 49 spent just over a month out because of the injury, returning only last Wednesday, September 16.

“When I said it was a mistake (the decision not to sell), there are two assessments: the first is that we’re going to keep him here because he will be worth more, and I think that is the mistake in the situation. Today it is seen as a mistake, but back then it could have been the right call if Corinthians had won the Paulista and he had made it to the Brazil national team. He was on the preliminary list.”

“So, the mistake was the timing. My view is always about timing. If they had sold him, today it would be seen as the right move, because Corinthians would not have the transfer ban and could have used the money to pay salaries and strengthen the squad. So, it was a mistake in the club’s assessment, not mine. I, personally, have to say that it is very difficult to work with Corinthians. I know it is a turbulent, delicate moment, with a lack of money, but I think it is difficult.”

The youngster’s agent concluded: “André is a very calm kid, comes from a good family, and has a high level of intelligence. He is introspective, but he is not worried or anxious. Of course, after talking with Luka Modric and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. We are talking about Milan, about the possibility of a Brazilian player going straight to Milan after many years. He spoke with Ibra and Modric! Everything was signed by all parties, by Milan, by Corinthians’ legal department, by my legal team, by the player. Only the president’s signature was missing, and he decided not to go forward. We have to respect that.”

“After that, there were those two red cards (against Palmeiras and Vasco), and people linked them to him being ‘not mentally focused,’ but they were normal mistakes by a young, inexperienced player. As for his value today, the market decides that, not me. It’s all about supply and demand. Now André has to keep getting minutes, keep playing well, and Corinthians has to return to good form so we can sell him for a lot of money, which is what everyone wants. We will analyze what is on the table. A player’s value is what is on the table, not what you think it is,” he finished.

With André Luiz available, Corinthians are currently in a break in the calendar due to the FIFA international window. The players were given four days off and will return to training at CT Dr. Joaquim Grava next Friday (25) to begin preparations for the next fixture of the season. On October 7, Wednesday, at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), Alvinegro will visit Internacional at Beira-Rio Stadium for the 29th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. At the moment, Timão sit only 14th with 32 points — eight wins, eight draws, and 12 losses — with 29 goals scored and 32 conceded.

André Luiz’s path with Corinthians’ senior team

A product of Timão’s youth academy, André Luiz made his professional debut in September 2025, when Timão were coached by Dorival Júnior, in a 1-0 win over Fluminense in the Brazilian Championship. Since then, he has played 47 matches for the first team, 31 of them as a starter, scored seven goals, and provided two assists. At that time, the player earned a place in the senior side also because the club had been punished by FIFA with a transfer ban related to a debt with Santos Laguna of Mexico.

The midfielder was also part of the squads that won the 2025 Copa do Brasil and the 2026 Supercopa do Brasil, taking part in both finals. This season, he gained even more space and had been used frequently among Fernando Diniz’s starters. This year, he is the team’s third-highest scorer of the season with five goals in 37 matches.

Numbers and titles in Corinthians’ youth ranks

For Corinthians’ Under-17 and Under-20 teams, he scored 11 goals in 80 matches, with 41 wins, 15 draws, and 24 losses. In Timão’s academy, his main titles were the 2023 São Paulo State Under-17 Championship, beating São Paulo in the final, and the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior in 2024, facing Cruzeiro in the grand final. Last year, he was set to be registered for the Copinha, but was left out due to a knee injury and only returned to action halfway through that same season.

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