Now it’s official: US club sign Tapia, São Paulo spell ends | OneFootball

Chilean forward Gonzalo Tapia is no longer a São Paulo player. He was officially announced this Wednesday (5) as the newest signing for Columbus Crew of the United States.

Tapia joined on a one-season loan, with a contract running through mid-2027. The American club will fully cover the player’s wages, with no immediate fee for the loan, and holds a purchase option set at US$1.5 million (approximately R$7.7 million).

The deal, which had been ongoing since mid-July, was finalized while preserving São Paulo’s rights. The club owns 60% of the forward’s economic rights and has him under contract until the end of 2029.

His Spell at São Paulo and Loss of Playing Time

Tapia arrived at Morumbi in June 2025, initially on loan from River Plate. At the end of that same year, São Paulo’s board signed him permanently in a deal that involved midfielder Giuliano Galoppo moving to the Argentine club.

Despite serving as Jonathan Calleri’s immediate backup, the Chilean saw his role in the squad rotation diminish under head coach Dorival Júnior:

Overall record: 48 appearances and 8 goals for the club.

2026 performance: 27 matches and 3 goals this season.

Squad Reshaping and the Obstacle of the Transfer Ban

Tapia’s departure is part of the board’s plan to readjust the wage bill and the squad structure for the remainder of the season. However, the club’s plans for new announcements have run into FIFA’s administrative sanction.

Because of the delay in paying the first installment of Marcos Antônio’s transfer fee to Lazio, São Paulo remains under a transfer ban. As a result, left-back Iago (formerly of Bahia) and Portuguese center-back Domingos Duarte (formerly of Getafe), both already agreed with the club, are waiting for the financial issue to be resolved before they can be registered with the CBF.

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