Stays put at Vasco: Cuiabano gets Saudi interest but puts Vasco first | OneFootball

Vasco has become the target of interest from overseas football for left-back Cuiabano, but the player’s desire weighs in favor of him staying at São Januário. Three clubs from Saudi Arabia have been monitoring the defender’s progress for about a month and even sent an intermediary with strong connections in the international market to watch the player’s performances in person in the last two matches of the Rio-based team.

The inquiries from the Middle East aim to understand what the demands of Nottingham Forest, the English club that owns the player’s economic rights, will be in order to try a formal move during the transfer window between December and January. However, the wing-back has already stated that he has no interest whatsoever in moving abroad, as his family is fully settled in Rio de Janeiro and Cruz-Maltino has a purchase option set at 10 million euros, an amount around R$58.5 million.

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Saudi interest and Vasco priority

In addition to the player’s personal desire to keep wearing the Cruz-Maltino shirt, president Pedrinho spoke directly with the full-back and assured him that his continuity at Vasco is being treated as the management’s top priority. The board is working on alternatives to extend the loan or put together the finances to complete a permanent transfer, seeking to guarantee stability in the defensive sector for the coming years.

The No. 23 began his path at Gigante da Colina at a fast pace under Renato Gaúcho, racking up five direct goal contributions in his very first matches. As the season went on, the full-back had to overcome medical issues that kept him sidelined for a month under coach Pedro Emanuel, a period in which Lucas Piton did the job, but the youngster reclaimed his place in the starting eleven as soon as he regained full fitness.

Physical recovery and growing internal value

Vasco’s board and coaching staff rate the defender as a top-level player for the Brazilian Série A. The professional department sees in the full-back a rare combination of athletic strength and technical quality on the ball, projecting significant room for tactical development with more minutes on the pitch.

With the shield put up by the board and the immediate rejection of any adventure in the Arab market, Cruz-Maltino remains fully focused on the season’s key matches and the knockout stages of the cups. The Rio club’s plan is to align its planning with investors to secure the wing-back’s stay and ensure an increasingly balanced and competitive team.

Cuiabano in action – Photo: Dikran Sahagian/Vasco

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