🗓️ It’s already underway: Cruzeiro’s plans for 2026 explained

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OneFootball

·15 November 2025

🗓️ It’s already underway: Cruzeiro’s plans for 2026 explained

With the season coming to an end and the 2026 calendar starting early, Cruzeiro is speeding up the planning for the next year.

The team is still competing in the Brasileirão and the Copa do Brasil, but it already needs to make important decisions regarding the squad, reinforcements, and departures.

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The website ge has compiled how the Raposa's planning for the next season is going. Check it out below!

Calendar tightens

The 2025 season may end on December 21 if the team reaches the Copa do Brasil final.
The squad needs to receive 15 days of vacation.
If they play the final, the players will only return on January 6, less than a week before the debut in the Campeonato Mineiro on January 11 (Brasileirão starts on 01/28).

Reinforcements already secured

Matheus Cunha (goalkeeper, Flamengo) — arrives on a pre-contract.
Néiser Villarreal (forward, Millonarios) — also a pre-contract.

Probable departures and uncertainties

Bolasie — club removed the automatic renewal clause; likely to leave.
Gamarra — on loan from Athletico; will not stay.
Fagner — on loan from Corinthians; wants to stay but competes for position with William and Kauã Moraes.
Eduardo — contract ends at the end of the year; future uncertain, but has Jardim's confidence.

Gabigol's situation

Contract until 2028, but the forward requested a meeting with the management after the Copa do Brasil to decide his future.
He is a substitute for Kaio Jorge and wants more playing time.
Pedro Lourenço says he counts on him but leaves the decision to the player.

Possible sales

Kaio Jorge — top scorer with 22 goals; Zenit and West Ham are watching the forward. Cruzeiro will only negotiate for 25 million euros or more.
Kaiki — interest from Zenit; the club will not negotiate for less than 10 million euros.

Important renewal

Matheus Pereira — contract until June 2026; the club should intensify talks at the end of the season. The player wants to stay.

Other players

In goal, besides Cássio and Cunha, Léo Aragão and Otávio remain.
Japa remains in the squad despite the injury that took him out of the season.
Several loaned players are returning but are likely to be negotiated again: Zé Ivaldo, Ian Luccas, Jhosefer, Vitinho, João Pedro, and Tevis.

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

📸 Alexandre Schneider - 2025 Getty Images