Thiago Almada joins River Plate after Flamengo pull back

In partnership with

Coluna do Fla

·10 August 2026

Thiago Almada joins River Plate after Flamengo pull back

Flamengo made an offer for Thiago Almada, who chose River Plate (ARG)

River Plate (ARG) announced this Monday (10) the signing of Thiago Almada. The 2022 World Cup winner will be tied to the Argentine team until December 2030. As a result, Flamengo definitively lost the race for the 25-year-old attacking midfielder.

“Together with President Stefano Di Carlo and members of the Board of Directors, Thiago Almada signed his contract and became a new River Plate player until December 31, 2030,” River’s profile posted on X, formerly Twitter.

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How much did River Plate invest to sign Thiago Almada?

Atlético de Madrid (ESP) accepted the R$128 million offered by River to sign the player. Therefore, the amount is R$20 million less than Flamengo’s offer, which at one point had a verbal agreement with the playmaker.

As such, the midfielder becomes the most expensive signing in the history of Argentine football. Almada ended his one-season spell with the Spanish team. The youngster was unable to secure a starting spot in Diego Simeone’s squad.

How did behind-the-scenes factors cause Flamengo to lose the race for Almada?

During the World Cup, Mais Querido reached a verbal agreement with the midfielder, who prioritized moving clubs within Europe. However, his family’s desire to stay in Argentina carried more weight for the player.

Did Flamengo sign anyone else instead?

Without Almada, Rubro-Negro focused on signing Luiz Henrique, but also failed. That is because the player’s camp went public to state that the Brazil national team winger will remain at Zenit (RUS).

What is Flamengo’s next match?

This Wednesday (12), Mais Querido faces Cruzeiro in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16. The match kicks off at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Mineirão in Belo Horizonte.

The Flamengo vs. Cruzeiro match will be broadcast by Rede Globo (free-to-air TV). In addition, Coluna do Fla will cover every detail of Mais Querido’s Libertadores clash, with on-site reporting directly from Mineirão.

What is the author’s view on Almada at River?

It is natural for a player to want to play in his home country in the absence of a European offer. From a career standpoint, however, he gave up immediate international prominence in Brazilian football to bet on River Plate’s rebuilding,” said João Vítor Reis of Coluna do Fla.

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