Diniz confirms Corinthians want Wesley, player keen on return | OneFootball

Before the friendly match between Corinthians and Cascavel, played on Sunday afternoon (12) in Paraná, coach Fernando Diniz confirmed the club’s interest in signing forward Wesley, a product of Timão’s youth academy who is currently under contract with Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia.

In an interview with SporTV, the coach highlighted that the board’s priority remains keeping the core of the squad together for the rest of the season, but admitted that Corinthians is monitoring the market for specific reinforcements.

Photo: Reproduction / Instagram

Diniz also said that Wesley has characteristics that appeal to the coaching staff and revealed that the player is interested in returning to Parque São Jorge.

“I’ve always said that our top priority, our biggest signing, would be keeping the team together. If we can avoid losing anyone, that will be good. For specific needs, we’ll go after good players like Wesley, who came through our academy and has characteristics I like. He’s a player who can dribble and wants to return to Corinthians. If that develops, he’ll be an important signing for us,” he said.

Behind the scenes, Corinthians is in talks with the forward’s representatives to assess the feasibility of a possible return. The main obstacle to moving the negotiations forward is the financial issue, since the club is facing budget limitations.

Another factor influencing the club’s transfer activity is the transfer ban imposed by FIFA. Corinthians is barred from registering new players due to a debt of approximately US$1.5 million (around R$7.7 million) to Philadelphia Union of the United States, related to the signing of defensive midfielder José Martínez in 2024.

In addition, the club could still face a new sanction from the governing body over pending issues related to the purchase of midfielder Charles from Midtjylland of Denmark.

Developed by Corinthians

Developed in Corinthians’ youth academy, Wesley was transferred to Al-Nassr in 2024. The deal was agreed at a fixed US$20 million, about R$110 million at the exchange rate at the time, with the possibility of another US$5 million in bonuses based on targets set in the contract.

Since moving to Saudi football, the forward has played 40 matches, scored five goals, and provided four assists. Last season, he was loaned to Real Sociedad of Spain, where he made five appearances and failed to score.

If Corinthians can resolve the restrictions imposed by the transfer ban and reach a financial agreement with the parties involved, the club could move forward with signing the forward for the remainder of the season.

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