Vasco want Diego Carlos but face high wages and European rivals | OneFootball

Vasco's board set a very clear direction for its transfer market moves behind the scenes this Friday (24). Brazilian center-back Diego Carlos, currently at Fenerbahçe, is the absolute Plan A to lead the defensive sector. However, talks to buy the 33-year-old have hit a stumbling block in the form of a salary cap considered astronomical at R$ 3 million per month, requiring a drastic reduction to make the deal feasible.

In addition to the financial barrier, Cruzmaltino faces strong competition from Italy's Como. The European club is enjoying a magical moment after a historic campaign in the latest Serie A season, securing an unprecedented spot in the UEFA Champions League. The Italians are trying to convince the Turks to lower their asking price of 7 million euros (around R$ 42 million) for the defender’s economic rights, using the continental tournament as a trump card to lure him.

+ Vasco make initial contact to sign center-back Diego Carlos

Leadership and physical presence become the law at Vasco

The obsessive pursuit of Diego Carlos is justified by a thorough scouting process carried out by Vasco’s football department. Internally, the board has decided that this profile—focused on physical presence and a leadership mentality—has become a mandatory prerequisite for ALL positions being targeted in this transfer window.

If the financial maneuvering for the veteran does not move forward because of the figures involved, Vasco’s leadership is already quietly monitoring alternative options. The club is actively working on a Plan B and analyzing somewhat younger names in the South American market. However, the internal directive is not to give up on the required profile, ensuring that the new defender has a strong voice on the pitch to shore up the back line in the upcoming run of matches this season.

Who is Diego Carlos?

Diego Carlos is a right-footed center-back internationally established for his physical strength and impeccable tactical positioning in protecting the penalty area. The player is under contract in Turkey until mid-2028 and has enjoyed successful spells in major European leagues, where he stood out as a natural dressing-room leader.

The Giant of the Hill is racing against time to try to stitch together the financial agreement and announce the player as Vasco's main reference in the Brazilian Championship.

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