Bahia could use São Paulo’s debt to help fund Nestor deal, here’s how | OneFootball

Bahia has an “ace up its sleeve” to try to keep Rodrigo Nestor permanently for next season. On loan from São Paulo until the end of 2025, the midfielder has won over Rogério Ceni and established himself as one of the main players on the Bahia team, which has led the club to explore alternatives to make his stay possible.

Bahia is interested in negotiating with São Paulo for the purchase of the midfielder, set at 4.5 million euros (about R$ 28.1 million at the current exchange rate). The idea of the northeastern club is to take advantage of a financial pending issue between the São Paulo club and the City Group, owner of Bahia, to facilitate the agreement.

The debt in question refers to the purchase of defender Nahuel Ferraresi, finalized in January 2024. At the time, São Paulo paid 4.3 million euros (approximately R$ 26.9 million) and agreed to pay in installments over three years. The possibility of deducting part of this amount in the negotiation for Nestor is seen as “financial engineering” that could help the talks between the clubs.

Rodrigo Nestor, on loan to Bahia, in a match against São Paulo at Morumbis, for the Brasileirão. (Photo: Rafael Rodrigues/EC Bahia)

Despite the behind-the-scenes moves, Bahia has not yet opened official negotiations with São Paulo. At Morumbis, the board already considers the midfielder’s permanent departure likely, as he is not expected to be part of the team’s plans for 2026.

Loaned at the start of the season, Nestor cost Bahia about 1.5 million euros (R$ 9.4 million at the time), an amount paid to secure the loan, in addition to the commitment to fully cover the player’s salary. At 25 years old, the midfielder has responded well: he has seven goals and six assists in 44 games, establishing himself as a key player in Ceni’s system.

Upcoming matches

São Paulo

Vasco vs São Paulo – 31st round of the Campeonato Brasileiro Date and time: 11/2/2025 (Sunday), at 8:30 pm (Brasília time) Venue: Estádio São Januário, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Bahia

Bahia vs Red Bull Bragantino – 31st round of the Campeonato Brasileiro Date and time: 11/2/2025 (Sunday), at 4:00 pm (Brasília time) Venue: Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador (BA)

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