Flamengo reject Almada's near-R$3m wage, squad balance stalls deal | OneFootball

Thiago Almada was asking for a salary that would far drastically exceed what Flamengo currently pays its top players

In talks with Flamengo and River Plate (ARG), midfielder Thiago Almada chose to sign with the Argentine club. Now, the Rio-based side is turning its attention to forward Luiz Henrique. But how has Flamengo’s board been handling these negotiations? Coluna do Fla found out.

According to journalist Mônica Alves, Thiago Almada was asking for a salary that would far drastically exceed what Flamengo currently pays its top players. As a result, internally, the club’s hierarchy felt that such a gap would create an imbalance in the locker room and compromise the group’s harmony.

Therefore, Flamengo refused to raise its salary offer, which was already considered high. The club’s football director, José Boto, even traveled to Argentina to negotiate with Almada’s representatives, and that was when he communicated the decision.

HOW MUCH DID ALMADA ASK FROM FLAMENGO?

According to information from journalist Rodrigo Mattos of UOL, confirmed by Coluna do Fla’s reporting, Thiago Almada’s salary demand was 6 million euros (R$ 35 million) net per year, which would amount to more than R$ 2.9 million per month. In other words, with taxes, the cost would be even higher.

DO FLAMENGO HAVE ANOTHER TARGET ON THE MARKET?

While the Thiago Almada deal did not have a ‘happy ending,’ Luiz Henrique’s situation has begun to mobilize Flamengo’s executives. The Rio club remains interested in signing the forward, currently at Zenit (RUS), and is working behind the scenes to make the deal happen.

The registration deadline for the round of 16 of the Libertadores is only until this Friday (07). However, Flamengo’s board believes the squad is strong and capable enough to face Cruzeiro. Thus, the priority remains focused on structuring the arrival of reinforcements without compromising the established financial planning. It is worth remembering that the transfer window remains open until September 11.

PRESSURE FROM INTERMEDIARIES?

The negotiation scenario is somewhat complex, as agents try to inflate transfer values when they realize the management’s desire to quickly bring in reinforcements. However, the stance adopted by Flamengo’s directors will remain unchanged. Following the same line applied in the Thiago Almada talks, the Rio club does not intend to give in to pressure for higher figures, whether for Luiz Henrique or any other player.

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