Bakayoko and El Shaarawy offered to Corinthians, finances and transfer bans block deals | OneFootball

Corinthians turned down the chance to add Tiemoué Bakayoko and El Shaarawy in this window after financial constraints stopped talks, executive director Marcelo Paz said.

"Bakayoko and El Shaarawy were offered to Corinthians. We could not sign at that moment, because of the transfer ban and the priority of paying players' wages. Any funds that have appeared have gone first to salaries, then to the transfer ban," Marcelo Paz said, speaking to Metrópoles TV.

Both players are free agents, so no fee would have been required. The club must first resolve three transfer bans, two imposed by FIFA and one by the CBF's CNRD.

Corinthians are also grappling with recurring delays in wages, image rights and bonuses. On Monday the club settled only one of the men's squad's image-rights debts. In the women's team, two months remain outstanding.

"President Osmar Stabile has been very transparent with me in saying that we have difficulties and that there will be no investments in signings. 'I want you to do here at Corinthians something similar to what you did at Fortaleza, which is to form competitive teams with low cost.' So, what Corinthians have not invested this year is already a substantial saving to help, little by little, reduce debts," he said.

Bakayoko, 32, is a defensive midfielder who has played for Monaco, Chelsea and Milan, and left PAOK in January. El Shaarawy, 33, is an attacker who represented Milan and Monaco as well as Roma, where he spent 10 years before departing in May.

Source: Meu Timao

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”