Gabriel Brazão explains Santos choice after Flamengo interest | OneFootball

Santos played hardball to release Gabriel Brazão to Flamengo

Flamengo tried to sign Gabriel Brazão, Santos’ goalkeeper, at the end of the 2025 season. Around nine months after the talks fell through, the player revealed that he received offers from Mengo, but decided to stay with the São Paulo side after talks with the club’s board.

View this photo on InstagramA post shared by Gonze na Área (@gonzenaarea)

— There were several inquiries during the season, but together with the club, we chose for me to stay. And I’m very happy here, this is my home. So, at no point did I ask to leave or want to leave — he said, before adding:

— I always left it in the club’s hands and let the club make the best decision. I hope to build a very beautiful story here, win titles, and leave my mark at the club in a very positive way — Brazão concluded, speaking to the YouTube channel ‘Gonze Neles’.

How did the talks between Flamengo and Santos over Brazão go?

Flamengo’s interest gained momentum during the squad-building period for 2026. Gabriel Brazão was seen by Flamengo’s board as an option for the position, especially with Matheus Cunha leaving after signing a pre-contract with Cruzeiro.

Santos, however, played hardball in releasing the goalkeeper. At the time, the club viewed the player as an important piece and showed no interest in making a deal with Flamengo easier. Brazão’s release clause for Brazilian clubs was also considered a major obstacle, standing at R$ 370 million.

What were Brazão’s numbers in 2025?

In the 2025 season, Gabriel Brazão was one of Santos’ standout players, helping the São Paulo side avoid relegation to Série B of the Brasileirão. During the year, the goalkeeper played 53 matches and conceded 67 goals.

Did Flamengo sign another goalkeeper?

Amid the failed negotiations for Brazão, Flamengo moved to sign goalkeeper Andrew. In January 2026, Fla offered 1.5 million euros (approximately R$ 9.4 million), plus 10% of a future sale to Gil Vicente (POR), the player’s former club.

What is the article author’s opinion on Gabriel Brazão?

“Gabriel Brazão would have been a fantastic signing for Flamengo, but the price asked by Santos was far too high. On top of that, the goalkeeper would have needed to accept coming in to compete for the spot, since Agustín Rossi is the undisputed starter in Flamengo’s goal. But it’s really hard for the São Paulo side to let the player go, since he is one of the team’s main names,” said Davi Esteves, journalist for Coluna do Fla.

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