Dorival eyes academy talent, assesses new faces at Corinthians

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Central do Timão

·20 January 2026

Dorival eyes academy talent, assesses new faces at Corinthians

By Mirella Ramos / Central do Timão Editorial Team

With Corinthians' elimination from the São Paulo Junior Football Cup, two youth players have started receiving special attention from the main team's technical staff. Defender Iago Machado, 16, and midfielder Guilherme Pires, 19, are being closely monitored by coach Dorival Júnior at the Joaquim Grava Training Center. The information was released by Itatiaia.

Since Timão's exit from the Copinha, after losing to Guarani, the duo has joined training activities at the training center and is under evaluation for potential opportunities with the professional squad. Internally, the staff does not rule out the possibility of keeping the young players regularly in training, repeating the move previously made with Guilherme Amorim at the end of last season.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca / Agência Corinthians

Among the observed names, Iago Machado is seen as an athlete with great potential. Born in 2009, the defender stood out throughout 2025 with the under-17 team and showed consistency during the Copinha with the under-20 team. The defender is positively evaluated for his performance in defensive duels and his quality in building plays from the defense.

Meanwhile, Guilherme Pires played a different role in the competition. Originally a midfielder, the player was used as a left-back during the Copinha by coach William Batista's choice. The adaptation was pleasing, but currently, the athlete has returned to playing in the midfield in activities held at the Joaquim Grava Training Center.

In contractual terms, Iago Machado is tied to Corinthians until April 2028, with a release clause for international transfers set at 100 million euros. Guilherme Pires, on the other hand, has a contract valid until the end of 2027, with a release clause set at 50 million euros for foreign clubs.

The observation of the duo is part of Dorival Júnior's strategy, who tends to value players developed at the club and believes that the youth system can expand the squad's options throughout the season. Other young players may also receive opportunities in the coming weeks.

During the 2026 São Paulo Junior Football Cup, Iago Machado and Guilherme Pires were on the field in all the matches played by Corinthians in the competition. Both athletes started all four games as starters and each scored once during the campaign. The duo's performance in the Copinha was crucial for their names to be closely followed by the professional squad's technical staff.

Corinthians returns to the field this Thursday (22), when they face Santos at Vila Belmiro at 7:30 PM (Brasília time), continuing the Paulista Championship. The team currently occupies the seventh position in the competition, with four points accumulated.

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