Bombshell: São Paulo open talks over Botafogo defender pre-deal | OneFootball

São Paulo’s board began contacts this week to assess the costs of signing a pre-contract with Botafogo center-back Alexander Barboza in July. The 31-year-old Argentine is internally seen as the ideal name to replace Arboleda, who will no longer play in the tricolor shirt after abandoning the club at the start of the month.

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, the Morumbi club’s initial contact was with Botafogo, with whom it has maintained a good relationship after the negotiations that took Ferraresi to Rio de Janeiro and brought in Artur. That is because the plan was to have Barboza arrive as a reinforcement already in this midyear transfer window.

However, São Paulo’s executives were told that Botafogo do not intend to let their main center-back leave easily and demanded major financial compensation for his release.

Moreover, Barboza is expected to exceed the Brazilian Championship match limit required for him to be allowed to play for another club. He has already taken the field eight times for the Rio side in the country’s main competition.

Given the situation, the option will be to negotiate the signing of a pre-contract so that he can arrive at Morumbi in January.

Barboza’s contract with Botafogo only runs until the end of the year, and there are clear signs that he does not want to stay. According to reporters covering the Rio club, at least three renewal offers were rejected by the player and his staff.

Left-footed, with good ball distribution and a leadership mentality, the defender has been regarded as one of the best in his position in Brazilian football. That is why São Paulo understand that it will be difficult to complete the signing. Competition is strong. Vasco, Cruzeiro, and Atlético-MG have also recently been reported as interested in the player.

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