Ex-Flamengo director explains Alcaraz’s ‘failure’ under Filipe Luís

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·9 October 2025

Ex-Flamengo director explains Alcaraz’s ‘failure’ under Filipe Luís

Alcaraz left Flamengo in February 2025

Flamengo officially said goodbye to ‘Charly’ Alcaraz in May 2025, after Everton (ENG) exercised the option to buy the player. Former Mengão director Bruno Spindel commented on the Argentine’s trajectory and explained the reason why the signing ‘failed’.

The price was agreed upon. If you look, he went for almost the same amount from Argentina to Europe. He had a good season at Southampton (ENG) in the Premier League, which is the most competitive league in the world. We had already tried to sign him a few times, and I think he left Flamengo too quickly. He played for three months and then left, in a rushed way, without letting the player mature and create a market for him. The value was almost the same as what the athlete was bought for. So, the price was right. He was a player approved by the scouts, who could play several roles, and he’s playing in the Premier League now. I think he needed more time to perform, and he went to Everton and played a series of games as a starter. I respect the decision, and decisions are never easy to make, but I don’t believe that signing him was a mistake,” said Spindel, in an interview with ‘GE’.

How much did Flamengo pay for Alcaraz?

Flamengo spared no effort to sign Alcaraz in August 2024. At the time, Mengão shelled out R$ 110.6 million to bring the player from English football. At that time, the Argentine became the most expensive signing in Fla’s history.

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However, ‘Charly’ Alcaraz was surpassed by Samuel Lino as the most expensive signing in Flamengo’s history. In the last transfer window, Mengão invested 22 million euros (R$ 143 million at the exchange rate at the time) to bring the striker from Atlético de Madrid (ESP).

HOW WAS ALCARAZ’S TRAJECTORY AT FLAMENGO?

Alcaraz arrived at Flamengo with high expectations, after the major investment made by the previous red-black board. However, the player left the Most Beloved after about six months, since he was not in coach Filipe Luís’s plans.

In total, ‘Charly’ Alcaraz played 19 matches with the Sacred Mantle, scoring three goals. In addition, the midfielder provided two assists for his teammates to score.

What did Bruno Spindel do at Flamengo?

Before being ‘let go’ from the club in August, Spindel had a role more focused on the financial and planning side of Flamengo. Previously, under Rodolfo Landim’s management, the professional would contact players and travel to seek reinforcements.

However, with the change from Landim’s management to Luiz Eduardo Baptista, Spindel changed roles again. Thus, the director became a more discreet figure, away from the spotlight. Since Bap’s election, the professional has not appeared in press conferences, although he still frequents Ninho do Urubu.

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