Cruzeiro and Europe! Flamengo face competition for Sport’s Zé Lucas | OneFootball

Who is the Sport prospect negotiating with Flamengo?

Flamengo is already making moves ahead of the start of the second transfer window, which opens this Monday (20). One of the players on Mengão’s radar is Zé Lucas, a Sport prospect. Rubro-Negro, in fact, will face competition to sign the young defensive midfielder.

According to information from ‘Lance!’, Cruzeiro has also shown interest in signing Zé Lucas and has spoken with Sport officials. In addition, Brighton (ENG), Real Betis (ESP), two teams from France, and a Russian club are monitoring the midfielder’s situation.

Has Zé Lucas been sidelined by Sport?

Amid Zé Lucas’s negotiations with Flamengo, Sport decided to leave Zé Lucas out of the team’s upcoming matches. It is worth noting that the Recife club is playing in Série B of the Brasileirão after being relegated from the top flight last season.

“Sport Club do Recife informs that, in a joint decision by the board and the football department, player Zé Lucas will not be included in the squad for the upcoming matches of the Brazilian Série B Championship.

The measure was adopted due to ongoing negotiations involving a possible transfer of the player, seeking to preserve all parties during this process.

The Club will continue conducting the talks with responsibility and transparency, keeping the fans informed about any relevant developments,” the club said.

Who is Zé Lucas, Sport’s young prospect?

Developed in Sport’s youth academy, Zé Lucas played 34 matches in the 2025 season. Despite the relegation of the Pernambuco club, the young defensive midfielder was one of the players who drew attention on the team. In addition, the player is a regular presence in Brazil’s Under-17 national team.

Not by chance, in 2025, the midfielder played in the Under-17 World Cup wearing the Brazil national team shirt and took the field in 13 matches. Finally, this season, Zé Lucas has made 23 appearances for Sport, with no goals or assists.

What are Flamengo’s transfer priorities?

Flamengo is in talks with three players for the next transfer window. The name of Thiago Almada, an attacking midfielder for Atlético de Madrid (ESP), is the only one that has been leaked, while Mengão is also close to signing a center forward and a winger.

In other words, even though he is not on the priority list, the signing of a defensive midfielder is viewed positively by Flamengo’s board. The initial idea is for Zé Lucas to join Fla’s under-20 team and, if he performs well, be integrated into the senior squad.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

Meanwhile, Flamengo remains focused on its next commitment of the season. This Wednesday (22), Leonardo Jardim’s team faces Chapecoense at Arena Condá, in Santa Catarina, at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), for the 19th round of the Brasileirão.

As usual, Coluna do Fla brings all the details about Flamengo in the 2026 season. So, stay tuned to the website, social media, and YouTube. However, Globo (subscription channel) and Premiere (pay-per-view) will broadcast the match.

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