How Flamengo turned Gerson into a R$131 million masterstroke | OneFootball

Flamengo’s transfer dealings involving Gerson have delivered a significant financial windfall to the club, with the midfielder’s two separate stints in Rio de Janeiro netting a combined profit of over R$144 million, according to Globo.

The relationship between Gerson and Flamengo began in 2019, after the midfielder’s spells at Roma and Fiorentina. Flamengo secured his first signature for €11.8 million (R$49.7 million at the time). During this initial period at the Maracanã, Gerson quickly became integral to the team, making 109 appearances, scoring seven goals, and collecting eight trophies before being sold to Olympique de Marseille for €20.5 million (R$126 million).

Gerson’s time in France lasted less than 18 months, after which Flamengo reacquired him in mid-2022 for €16 million (R$92 million). His return was marked by further on-pitch success: 144 games, 12 goals, four trophies, and a period as club captain.

Earlier this year, Flamengo agreed a contract extension with Gerson running until 2030, but notably, the release clause was reduced from €200 million to €25 million as part of a negotiation around his wage demands. This adjustment caught the attention of Zenit Saint Petersburg, who proceeded to activate the now-accessible €25 million (R$160 million) release fee to secure his transfer.

When all activity — two purchases and two sales — is tallied, Flamengo spent approximately R$141.7 million on Gerson’s transfers and received R$286 million from his sales. Deducting Roma’s 10% sell-on fee from the Zenit transfer, the overall profit still stands at over R$131.7 million.

This sequence of deals not only provided on-pitch consistency during Gerson's spells, but also significant liquidity for Flamengo. As detailed in Lance, the club’s recent uptick in transfer revenue, thanks largely to Gerson’s exit, allowed Flamengo to reset its financial outlook ahead of the new window. Their conservative early-season budget has been replaced by a newfound flexibility, enabling the club to consider high-calibre targets while maintaining overall fiscal responsibility.

With Gerson’s move now complete, Flamengo’s financial management around his transfers stands as a model of how player trading can supplement on-field ambitions with off-field sustainability.

(Sources: Globo, Lance)

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