Flamengo eye Europe for transfers, downplay South American options | OneFootball

Flamengo outlines profile for more experienced signings and uses Jorginho as an example

Flamengo closed the 2025 season spectacularly, especially with the titles of the Brasileirão and the Libertadores. Now, the team faces the challenge of maintaining a high level in 2026, and the management has already defined the profile of signings to stay at the top.

Internally, the idea of Flamengo's football department is to hire players who are “ready to play.” Despite the constant mapping and analysis of young talents to develop, the trend is for Fla to invest only in athletes who have been tested at a high level, primarily from European football.

In South America, Flamengo sees talents. However, the club understands that this is not enough to add to the red-black squad, also considering mentality and behavior as determining factors for closing signings.

Who does Flamengo want to sign?

Currently, Flamengo considers three recent signings as ‘success stories’: Jorginho, Alex Sandro, and Danilo.

This is because, besides the gain on the field, the management believes that the trio has become a reference for behavior in the locker room. Additionally, the experience of these athletes was also evaluated as a differential on the field, to win the decisive games of the season.

Who will leave Flamengo?

For 2026, Flamengo does not intend to negotiate any player considered important. This was already a prevailing thought in 2025, when only two athletes left the club, both in an ‘inevitable’ manner. Gerson left for Zenit (RUS), which paid the release clause; and Wesley went to Roma (ITA), as a natural path given the appreciation of the young full-back.

So far, two players have left the squad: Matheus Cunha, who went to Cruzeiro; and Cleiton, who is now at Wolfsburg (GER). In both cases, the athletes were at the end of their contracts with the Most Beloved and chose not to renew, to seek opportunities with another team.

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