Santos board see positive window but struggle to sign centre-back | OneFootball

Santos are one signing away from closing their first half recruitment, yet the search for a new centre-back continues after five additions, with work ongoing to give Juan Pablo Vojvoda more options. According to Globo.com, the board view the window so far as positive.

Sporting director Alexandre Mattos, criticised by fans on Sunday, is moving to accelerate outstanding matters and complete the opening recruitment cycle. The club also need to resolve the futures of sidelined players.

The internal view is that this year’s recruits, unlike last season, have been well chosen for the club’s circumstances and will be used regularly by Vojvoda.

Gabigol is the headline arrival and is starting. Moisés and Rony have shown signs they will have opportunities through the year, and Gabriel Menino has been a frequent option in midfield.

The most recent addition, not yet announced, is Christian Oliva, a Uruguayan holding midfielder with spells in Spain and Italy, who could fight for a place in a unit where Willian Arão and Gabriel Bontempo are starters. One more centre-back is seen as giving Vojvoda an almost ideal scenario, the Argentine has said more than once he wants two strong options per position. In defence, Alexis Duarte and João Basso have had few minutes and sit behind Zé Ivaldo, Adonís Frías and Luan Peres, and Mattos has negotiated for Marco Di Cesare, though Racing want R$ 31 million paid upfront.

Source: Globo.com