Vasco hit 15 exits, Matheus França's future in doubt | OneFootball

The overhaul of the Vasco da Gama squad for the 2026 season is both deep and extensive. With the transfer of left-back Victor Luís to Mirassol in the works, the Gigante da Colina reached on Tuesday (10th) the mark of 15 players transferred in just the first two months of the year. This move is part of the board’s strategy to “trim” the squad, which was considered bloated at the end of 2025, and to free up space on the payroll for higher-profile signings.

The “clean-up” has affected almost every sector, except for the goalkeeping position. The main objective was to release players who were on the bench but were not part of Fernando Diniz’s coaching staff’s plans.

+ Vasco announces the signing of forward Claudio Spinelli until 2028

Departure List: Who left Colina?

The restructuring was broad. Check out below the list of those who left, sector by sector:

From this group, the board considers that only Rayan (a youth prospect targeted by Europe) and Vegetti (a high salary to be a reserve) were “felt” losses, but expected within the financial and market planning.

Delicate Situation of Matheus França

While some leave, others face uncertainty. The most emblematic case is Matheus França. On loan from Crystal Palace-ENG, the midfielder has one of the highest salaries in the squad, but his performance on the field has been disappointing.

Unsatisfied with his technical return, the football department has already internally discussed the possibility of terminating the loan to return the player to the English club. Although not yet ruled out, França is “on the hot seat” and will need to deliver urgently to justify his stay.

Matheus França did not perform at Vasco as expected – Photo: André Durão

Youth Lose Space and “Negotiable” Players in the Squad

The arrival of reinforcements such as Rojas, Brenner, and Spinelli has reduced the opportunities for some homegrown prospects. Names like GB, JP, and Estrella remain in the group, but have lost playing time and will have to fight hard to get on the field.

On the other hand, players like Adson, Tchê Tchê, and David are considered “negotiable” if a good offer comes in, but unlike the 15 who left, they still enjoy prestige with the coaching staff and are frequently used in the team rotation.

From left to right – Leandrinho left the club while Estrella and JP remain in the squad – Photo: Leandro Amorim/CRVG

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