Breaking: São Paulo open talks with African star keen to play in Brazil | OneFootball

São Paulo is closely monitoring the situation of experienced Gabonese defensive midfielder Mario Lemina, 32.

According to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, the player has become genuinely excited about the possibility of playing in Brazilian football after being approached by Atlético-MG. Since talks with Galo did not progress, the Brazilian agency hired to represent him offered him to the club from Morumbi.

Lemina is nearing the end of his contract with Galatasaray of Turkey. This season, he scored three goals and provided two assists in 41 appearances.

According to sources consulted by the report, the club’s board sees the player as an excellent market opportunity to strengthen the squad’s midfield.

The pursuit of Lemina has gained momentum internally due to the difficulties Tricolor has been facing in moving forward with negotiations for defensive midfielder Newton. Faced with the deadlock, Tricolor is mapping out other options that can immediately add quality and dynamism to the squad.

Official negotiations have not yet begun, but São Paulo’s board has made inquiries regarding the midfielder’s salary demands and desired contract length.

Profile and Numbers of Mario Lemina

Lemina has an established career in Europe, with notable spells in major leagues. He stands out for his physical presence, defensive intensity, and leadership on the pitch.

Notable clubs: He played an important role at Juventus (where he won Serie A twice and the Coppa Italia twice), in addition to playing for teams such as Southampton, Fulham, Nice, and Wolverhampton (where he even served as captain).

Quality in playing out from the back: He showed great efficiency in the most recent domestic competition, averaging 91.5% passing accuracy per game.

Tricolor remains attentive and could intensify contact for the player if the priority deal for Newton continues to show no progress.

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