Vasco reject Shandong Taishan bid for Lucas Freitas | OneFootball

Vasco have rejected a loan offer from Chinese side Shandong Taishan for centre-back Lucas Freitas, according to PaponaColina.

The proposal for the 25-year-old was promptly dismissed by the São Januário hierarchy as Vasco maintain their 2026 squad-building stance. The coaching staff value Freitas and have no plans to seek a replacement, having sealed the permanent signing of Carlos Cuesta and added Alan Saldivia.

Though he has lost his starting spot after the recent arrivals, Freitas is viewed as an important squad option and is the immediate back-up to Robert Renan. Letting him go now is considered a risk to depth in a position that often needs cover amid a congested calendar.

It is not the first time Vasco have resisted offers for the defender, having previously rebuffed two approaches from Série A sides, with Vitória among the leading suitors. The stance underlines the board’s focus on depth for this year’s competitions.

Signed last year, he has seen minutes shrink in 2026, featuring only once in the Campeonato Carioca, against Nova Iguaçu on 18 January. He then went five games without a place in the squad before returning to the bench against Chapecoense. The decision points to Fernando Diniz keeping him in his plans for the remainder of the Brasileirão and other competitions.

Source: PaponaColina