Fluminense expected more sales, Libertadores now crucial to finances | OneFootball

Fluminense closed the second Brazilian football transfer window without making any new signings and also fell short of the player sales expectations set in its financial plan for 2026. With only Facundo Bernal transferred during the period, the club now sees Libertadores prize money as an even more important source of income to make up for the revenue that did not come from transfers.

The midfielder left Tricolor for Real Betis of Spain for 12 million dollars, around R$ 60 million at the current exchange rate. As Fluminense owned 60% of the player’s economic rights, the club’s share of the deal was approximately R$ 36 million.

In the budget for the season, the board had set a forecast of R$ 218 million in revenue from player sales. Over the course of the year, however, the expectation of raising around R$ 200 million through deals involving the squad’s main players did not materialize.

One of the names that could have generated revenue was John Kennedy, who had attracted interest from Lazio of Italy. The possibility, however, lost momentum after the forward suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee.

Another player on the radar of foreign clubs was Canobbio. The forward was approached by Krasnodar of Russia, but showed no interest in a move to the country. River Plate of Argentina was also monitoring the player’s situation.

Hércules was another player linked with a possible departure. Zenit of Russia contacted his representatives after failing to sign Danilo Santos of Botafogo. The Tricolor midfielder, however, was seen only as an alternative, and the inquiry did not develop into negotiations.

With the window closed, Fluminense decided not to pursue a last-minute signing to replace Bernal. The internal assessment was that no opportunity came up that justified the investment, especially since the squad has Martinelli, Hércules, Nonato, Otávio, and Alisson for the position.

This situation increases the importance of the club’s Libertadores campaign for its finances. The board had set reaching the quarterfinals as the minimum target, a goal already achieved and one that secured approximately R$ 24.2 million in prize money.

Now, Fluminense remains alive in the competition and could increase that revenue considerably. The Libertadores champion will receive 25 million dollars, around R$ 127.5 million, while the runner-up will get 7 million dollars, approximately R$ 35.7 million.

After the 2–0 win over Platense at the Maracanã, Tricolor holds the advantage in the quarterfinals and can advance to the semifinals even with a one-goal defeat in the second leg in Argentina.

So, while the market did not provide Fluminense with the expected revenue from player sales, the Libertadores has emerged as the main path to increase sporting revenue and ease part of the gap compared with the plan set for the season.

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