Twist: Portuguese stopper says sorry, accepts offer and joins São Paulo | OneFootball

It sounds like a Portuguese joke, but São Paulo is close to officially signing 31-year-old center-back Domingos Duarte.

Yes, you didn’t read that wrong.

After pulling out of the negotiations twice, the Morumbi club reached an agreement with the Portuguese player for him to become the team’s third signing of this transfer window, after Victor Sá and Newton.

It is still the most important signing, especially given the club’s clear need for reinforcements in the position, weakened by Dória’s departure.

Duarte will join Tricolor on a free transfer, as he is available on the market after the end of his contract with Spain’s Getafe.

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, Duarte contacted São Paulo over the weekend, apologized for his stance, and agreed to lower his initial salary demands to fit the ceiling set by the board, sealing a verbal agreement valid for two seasons.

The contract signing and official announcement are scheduled to take place this Tuesday (14), right after the exchange and validation of documents between the club’s legal department and the player’s representatives. He is expected to report to the Barra Funda training center by this Wednesday (15).

History of the negotiations and financial adjustment

The positive outcome brings to an end a long saga that had broken down on two different occasions due to disagreements over signing bonuses and monthly wages.

The club even presented multiple deal structures, but talks had been halted by the player’s camp’s high financial demands.

The turnaround came after the center-back himself reopened communication channels, softened his salary demands, and accepted the latest counteroffer made official by Tricolor.

Duarte was seen by Tricolor as a key piece for its depleted defense, which lost Dória and Arboleda. It was considered a unique market opportunity. Club officials themselves stressed to him and his camp that he would arrive as the undisputed starter in the position.

With spells at Sporting and Granada, as well as call-ups to the Portugal national team, the player brings the international experience required by the board. He had been playing for Getafe, also in La Liga, but his contract expires next June 30, allowing him to join without the purchase of rights.

With spells at Sporting and Granada, as well as call-ups to the Portugal national team, the player brings the international experience required by the board. He had been playing for Getafe, also in La Liga, but his contract expires next June 30, allowing him to join without the purchase of rights.

Duarte’s profile appealed because of his leadership, physical strength, aerial presence, and quality playing out from the back.

He had already come close to Brazilian football in 2019, when he held talks with Flamengo as a replacement for Pablo Marí.

On the pitch, he is known as a ball-playing center-back, with good distribution, quality in the air, and solidity in positional defending. His main trait is his reading of the game and his ability to start moves from the back.

On the other hand, he is not a particularly quick defender, which means he performs better in systems with less exposed defensive lines and greater protection at the back.

End of the priority search for a defensive reinforcement

The signing of Domingos Duarte fills the main gap identified by the coaching staff for the second half of the season. Planning for the defensive sector remained unchanged even after the reintegration of Ecuadorian Robert Arboleda, who returned to training with the main squad after serving a suspension for disciplinary reasons.

Before finalizing the deal with the Getafe defender, São Paulo unsuccessfully tried to sign Arthur Chaves on loan, but ran into Hoffenheim’s refusal. Tricolor’s market analysis department also monitored names such as Porto’s Felipe Silva and Ricardo Graça, formerly of Vasco, but those inquiries did not progress into official offers.

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