Luxemburgo urges Corinthians to back youth to cut billion-real debt

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Central do Timão

·16 November 2025

Luxemburgo urges Corinthians to back youth to cut billion-real debt

By Vinícios Cotrim | Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians’ debt has been increasing in the latest financial statements released, due to a series of actions by recent managements. For Vanderlei Luxemburgo, the men’s team coach in 2023, the 2.7 billion reais figure presented by the club in the last balance sheet was downplayed.

“Is Corinthians’ debt absurd? Not at all, man. Let me tell you why it’s nothing… Give me five years and you’ll see. Man, what is our raw material in football? Pay close attention to this. What is our raw material in football? Football players. Where do we sell them to? To Europe. How much is R$ 2.7 billion in euros? 450 million euros. So, my business is 400 million euros“, Luxemburgo began on Prieto TV.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

“In Corinthians’ youth academy there are 300 players. The assets are there. That Corinthians youth academy is worth, at the very least, 300 million euros. In four months at Corinthians, I managed to sell 400 (million reais). Murillo, plus another, plus Moscardo,” recalled the experienced coach.

In the current administration, the youth categories have been increasingly valued at Corinthians. The club is renewing contracts with standout athletes and increasing the release clauses, whether for international or domestic transfers. In addition, Breno Bidon has become a standout in the professional team, becoming one of the club’s main assets.

“I have an asset of 300 million dollars in players who are there (in the academy), who will be worth, they’re not worth that yet, but they will be, because players worth 1 million, 2 million, 3 million, 4 million, 5 million will appear. Look at the market. Look at what Palmeiras does, Palmeiras makes money from players they sold, 5% from players they sold and who haven’t been with them for four, five years. So, you carry, for each player you develop in the academy, as a developer, 5% until the end of their career. So, I have to develop players in the academy,” explained Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

Historically, the coach gives opportunities to youth academy players. In his last, and third, stint at Corinthians, several names were used and sold for millions. The People’s Team raised about R$ 311 million with Murillo, Gabriel Moscardo, Pedro, Guilherme Biro, Wesley, and Felipe Augusto.

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