Bombshell: former São Paulo man works to take Arboleda to rivals | OneFootball

On the one hand, the Arboleda saga remains far from a solution, with the player still not having returned to Brazil to discuss the termination of his contract with São Paulo. On the other hand, behind the scenes, the center-back has seen his name linked to transfer speculation for the second half of the year—one that would be even more painful for Tricolor fans.

A close friend of Arboleda from their days at Morumbi—after all, he played alongside the Ecuadorian for six years—right-back Igor Vinícius has been talking to the player in an effort to convince him to join rivals Santos, the club he transferred to in the middle of last year.

The information was first reported by ‘RedeTV‘ and confirmed to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR by sources connected to both players.

At the moment, there has been no decisive step toward Arboleda joining Santos. But Igor Vinícius’s conversations with the player are taking place. On the coastal club’s side, according to what we found, any move for the center-back depends on a resolution to his situation with São Paulo.

In midweek, Santos traveled to Ecuador to play, and Igor Vinícius was caught talking to Arboleda’s friends upon the rival club’s arrival in the neighboring country.

MESS

As the report revealed, with everyone aware that a termination with São Paulo is inevitable and could be costly for the player (Tricolor has already said it does not intend to spend a single cent on breaking the contract), the outlook is also bleak for his future. Initial talks with potential parties interested in the Ecuadorian have been dropped because of the serious disciplinary issue and reports that he is facing major financial problems, which would drive up the negotiations.

AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned that at least three clubs spoke with Pepe Chamurro, Arboleda’s agent. But none of them wanted to move forward. The obvious explanation is that they are waiting for the outcome of his situation with São Paulo. But everyone knows the issue runs deeper than that.

LDU of Ecuador, Internacional, and Vasco were interested in the Ecuadorian’s football. But they quickly backed off after looking more deeply into the situation and speaking with São Paulo.

Sources from São Paulo’s top brass told the report that LDU and Inter made initial contact asking about Arboleda. A draft proposal came from the club from Rio Grande do Sul, in a swap involving defensive midfielder Thiago Maia. But they soon backed off after hearing about the disciplinary incidents and the way the center-back is paid.

At the last contract renewal, worried about the defender’s debts, São Paulo decided to take on the Ecuadorian’s outstanding liabilities totaling R$ 7 million with former agents, unpaid rent, car-related debts, among others.

That money, which would have been paid to Arboleda as a signing bonus, ended up being passed on by Tricolor to the center-back’s creditors. Even so, he began earning R$ 700,000 per month, in addition to another R$ 1.5 million spread out over the course of the new deal, which runs until December 2027.

But the club was informed that new debts have arisen. His former lawyer, for example, managed to freeze the player’s bank accounts and seize his Porsche. Other legal actions have also emerged.

In other words, to put it plainly, signing Arboleda means having to take on those legal expenses. Especially because if a unilateral termination for job abandonment happens, São Paulo will no longer be the defender’s guarantor.

In Vasco’s case, the initial contact was for a loan until the end of the year with a purchase option set for the end. Tricolor refused. Arboleda’s camp then approached Vasco’s camp, but it seems discipline was a factor, and not even Renato Gaúcho—famous for liking to work with ‘bad boys’ (the Rio club, for example, is close to signing Corinthians’ Martínez, who also went missing from the rival club earlier this year)—wants to work with the Ecuadorian.

Arboleda has not appeared at São Paulo since Saturday (4). At the start of last week, the 34-year-old player—the longest-serving athlete and the one with the most appearances in the current squad—called Rafinha and promised to return to discuss the contract termination, which did not happen. Tricolor understands that this was not an official communication and, therefore, the 24-hour deadline given to the center-back expired, meaning he abandoned his job, opening the door for a dismissal for just cause

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