Stabile confirms André Luiz talks, Corinthians want him until 2026 | OneFootball

Corinthians president Osmar Stabile confirmed that the club is negotiating a possible transfer for André Luiz and is awaiting the formalization of an offer for the defensive midfielder. In an interview with ESPN this Friday (28), the executive avoided revealing the amounts involved in the talks, but made it clear that the board intends to make any eventual deal conditional on the player remaining at Parque São Jorge until the end of 2026.

André Luiz has been on the radar of England’s Nottingham Forest in recent days. During the interview, Stabile explained that the first contact involving figures was made verbally and that Corinthians asked the interested party to present the terms officially. With the English transfer window close to closing, the president acknowledged that there is little time to complete a possible transfer.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

“So, I want to tell you the following: regarding the first proposal that came verbally, we asked for that proposal to be made official. And it was supposed to be made official by today, Friday. Now, there’s no set time, I don’t know what time it will be. Maybe a proposal comes by the end of the afternoon, it could come tomorrow, perhaps, or at the latest on Monday, so we have time to close any deal within the window. But right now, as for an actual proposal, we’re waiting until the end of the afternoon.”

The statement came after the executive was asked about an initial offer of 12 million euros and the possibility that another English club might also be interested in the midfielder. Stabile did not confirm the figures mentioned or the existence of a second team in the race.

Nottingham Forest prepares final push

After the president’s interview, new information about the talks came to light. According to reporting published by Meu Timão, Nottingham Forest has given Corinthians an ultimatum and indicated that it intends to make a final offer of £13 million fixed, around R$ 91.7 million, plus £3 million in performance-related bonuses, approximately R$ 21.1 million.

The offer, therefore, could reach £16 million, approximately R$ 112.8 million, for the 70% of André Luiz’s economic rights that belong to Corinthians.

The amount would still be below what the Corinthians board had been seeking. Central do Timão had previously learned that the club was working with a package that could reach 21 million euros, around R$ 147.5 million, split between 15 million euros fixed and another 6 million in bonuses. The intention also included a sell-on clause to guarantee Corinthians a 30% share of the surplus from a future transfer.

Asked directly what price would be needed to negotiate André Luiz, Stabile chose to keep the numbers confidential while talks remain open.

“So, we don’t want to talk about values, because if there is a negotiation, that’s a precaution we have to take, also out of respect for the people on the other side, for us to talk about financial matters. We’ll deal with the financial side behind closed doors. As soon as it’s over, we’ll tell you what we managed to reach and what they managed to reach as well. It’s a negotiation. And every negotiation has to have the necessary care to avoid problems down the road.”

Still according to Meu Timão’s reporting, the club’s financial situation could weigh on the decision regarding the English offer. Corinthians’ 2026 budget projects approximately R$ 151 million in revenue related to the sale of players’ economic rights and the FIFA solidarity mechanism, and the club is still seeking a major sale to move toward that target.

Stay until December becomes a condition in talks

The negotiation, however, is not only about the numbers. Stabile revealed that Corinthians’ position has changed regarding a possible immediate departure for André Luiz. At this point, the club intends to complete a transfer only if it can keep the defensive midfielder for the rest of the season.

“No. Last time, we talked about André leaving. It had to be immediate. Today, we’re saying that if there is any kind of negotiation, André should stay until the end of the year. We’ve talked a lot about that, because it’s necessary.”

The president justified the decision by saying the club wants to preserve the competitiveness of the squad coached by Fernando Diniz. Corinthians are still competing in important competitions this season and do not want to lose one of the players who has earned a place in the first team over the course of the year.

“I don’t want the team to feel those difficulties, because we still intend to win a title this year. And that’s why we need to keep the squad together. As I said at the beginning, we wanted and still want a competitive team, and we have that competitive team. I’m absolutely certain that we’re going to work very hard so that we can become champions this year.”

According to Meu Timão, Nottingham Forest is also considering an operation involving Olympiacos of Greece. Both clubs belong to Greek businessman Evangelos Marinakis. In that scenario, André Luiz could remain at Corinthians until December and then move to Greek football until the end of the European season, in mid-2027.

The timing issue also affects the talks. The Premier League window closes next Monday, September 1, while the Greek market remains open until September 15.

Sale also depends on Corinthians’ sporting situation

The attempt to keep André Luiz gains even more weight in light of the club’s market situation. Corinthians are barred from registering new signings because of three transfer bans. The pending issues, totaling approximately R$ 22 million, are related to the signings of José Martínez and Charles, in addition to the non-payment of an installment of an agreement at the National Chamber for Dispute Resolution (CNRD).

The midfielder had already attracted European interest before. In February, Italy’s Milan submitted an offer that could have reached 17 million euros, split into 15 million fixed and 2 million in bonuses. At that time, the talks did not result in a transfer.

Developed in Corinthians’ youth academy, André Luiz made his professional debut in September 2025 in a 1-0 win over Fluminense in the Brazilian Championship. Since then, he has made 47 appearances for the first team, 31 of them as a starter, with seven goals and two assists. The player was also part of the squads that won the 2025 Copa do Brasil and the 2026 Supercopa do Brasil.

In 2026, André played 35 matches and scored five goals, earning a place among Fernando Diniz’s starters. At the moment, however, the defensive midfielder is sidelined with a grade 2 injury to the back of his thigh, suffered in early August. The player has already started ball work alongside the physiotherapy staff, but his return to matches has not yet been confirmed.

With the English window close to shutting, the next few hours should be decisive for the player’s future. Corinthians are waiting for the move to be formalized and, in addition to seeking better financial terms, are trying to ensure that a possible sale does not mean the player’s immediate departure.

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