Without Yuri Alberto, Gui Negão eyes first Diniz minutes at Corinthians | OneFootball

The grade-two muscle injury suffered by Yuri Alberto has opened up a new battle for a spot in Corinthians’ attack. Without the No. 9 available for the clashes against Internacional in the Copa do Brasil round of 16, head coach Fernando Diniz is now looking for alternatives up front, and one name back on the radar is Gui Negão.

The 19-year-old forward has yet to make his debut under the current coach, despite having been included in the squad on several occasions. Recovered from a muscle injury in his right thigh since early May, the youngster is waiting for his first chance to play again for the senior team.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca / Agência Corinthians

Yuri Alberto suffered the injury during the goalless draw against Athletico-PR in the Brazilian Championship. The striker was diagnosed with a grade-two muscle problem in his right thigh and has already started treatment in the club’s medical department. Central do Timão has confirmed that the internal expectation is for the No. 9 to miss both matches against Internacional, while Corinthians’ goal is to have him fit again for the Copa Libertadores round of 16 against Rosario Central.

Without his main center-forward, Diniz now has other options for the attacking sector. Jesse Lingard appears to be the favorite to play as a false nine, but Gui Negão is also emerging as one of the available options in the squad. The youngster has been in a waiting period since the coach’s arrival. Since Fernando Diniz took over at Corinthians, Gui Negão has been on the bench for matches against Mirassol, Independiente Santa Fe, São Paulo, Botafogo, Peñarol, Grêmio, and also in the friendly against Cascavel, but he did not take the field on any of those occasions.

After the midseason friendly, the coach explained that the absence was part of a plan drawn up together with the youth-team coaching staff. The intention was to keep the striker available to strengthen the Under-20 side during the remainder of that Brazilian Championship campaign.

Gui Negão’s last match for Corinthians came at the end of March. Shortly afterward, during a training period with the Brazil Under-20 national team, the striker suffered a grade-two muscle injury in his right thigh. Since receiving medical clearance, he has regularly been included in the squad again, but he is still waiting for the chance to return to the pitch.

Gui Negão earned space in the professional squad in 2025, when Corinthians was dealing with a FIFA-imposed transfer ban and major absences in attack, including Yuri Alberto and Memphis Depay. In that scenario, the striker was used frequently and played an important role in the team’s Copa do Brasil title run, especially in the quarterfinals against Athletico-PR.

As the season went on, however, he lost ground among the starters. In 2026, he has made 12 appearances and scored one goal for Timão. Overall, as a professional, Gui Negão has played 36 matches in the black-and-white shirt, with six goals and two assists. In that span, he was part of 16 wins, four draws, and 14 defeats, in addition to winning two titles: the 2025 Copa do Brasil and the 2026 Supercopa do Brasil.

A product of Corinthians’ youth academy, the striker also posted impressive numbers before reaching the senior squad. Between the Under-17 and Under-20 teams, he played 99 matches, scored 24 goals, and won the 2023 São Paulo State Under-17 Championship, as part of a generation that also included Luiz Gustavo Bahia, André Luiz, and Dieguinho.

With a contract running through June 2030, Gui Negão has a domestic release clause set at R$140 million, while his international release clause is fixed at €100 million. Amid Yuri Alberto’s absence and the decisive run of the season, the striker is once again emerging as one of the alternatives to gain space and seek his first minutes under Fernando Diniz.

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