How Dorival played a key role in keeping André at Corinthians | OneFootball

By André Costa

Dorival Júnior played a decisive role in keeping midfielder André at Corinthians. The young player was very close to being transferred to Milan, in Italy, but the coach managed to convince the board to keep him.

Milan offered 17 million euros (R$ 103 million) for 70% of the youngster’s rights, with 15 million euros fixed and another 2 million if certain goals were met while still at Corinthians. The remaining 30% belongs to the midfielder. Timão would also retain 20% of any future profit, and André would only travel to Italy in the middle of the year.

The debate over the sale of the 19-year-old athlete had already started between the board and the football department even before Dorival’s interview in Novo Horizonte, after the elimination in the semifinals of the Campeonato Paulista.

Initially, the alvinegra board viewed the negotiation favorably, considering the club needs to generate revenue to stem the financial crisis. However, this perception changed after Dorival got involved.

The coach spoke with his technical staff and understood that Corinthians would have difficulties replacing André, who has characteristics considered rare in the market. He believed it would be very hard for the club to find a suitable replacement without spending a lot.

President Osmar Stabile had a conversation with Dorival and was convinced that the team could suffer a significant technical loss with the midfielder’s departure. Thus, he decided to veto the negotiation with Milan, which was being handled by executive Marcelo Paz.

The alvinegra board has already set a minimum price for André. The club wants to receive at least 25 million euros (R$ 149 million) for 70% of the player’s economic rights.

The academy jewel is highly valued in the market and is expected to be the target of new bids from European clubs in the next transfer window, in the middle of this year.

André’s stats for Corinthians

At the start of his journey with Corinthians, André has played 24 matches and already won two titles: Copa do Brasil (2025) and Supercopa do Brasil (2026). In addition, he has scored four goals, two of them in this edition of the Campeonato Paulista.

The young midfielder is expected to start for the team in Wednesday’s match against Coritiba. The clash, valid for the fifth round of the Brasileirão, is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at Neo Química Arena.

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