Casares defends São Paulo's sale of youngsters: "We need to pay wages" | OneFootball

The president of São Paulo, Julio Casares, justified the sale of another player from the club's academy to European football. This time, the player leaving is striker Henrique Carmo, who has advanced negotiations to transfer to CSKA Moscow, in Russia.

The values of the operation revolve around US$ 6 million fixed (R$ 32 million at the current rate), with São Paulo holding 25% of the player's economic rights. Casares regretted the early departure, but explained the sale saying that the boy asked to leave the club.

"As a fan, I'm also sad, I would also like the player to stay here longer. In the specific case of Henrique, he had been intended for loan to PSV, but we held him back. I was with his parents and agents and they wanted to leave, they insisted. We got to the last minute of the window to do the best possible. We even tried to dissuade him from this idea so that he would continue," said the president in an interview with ESPN.

"Of course we would like it to be for two digits, because we sold for a value and we have a stake. We did the best possible, with the conviction that we need to balance. São Paulo can no longer bet on championships to see the sale later, as we did in the case of Beraldo," he added.

(Photo: Rubens Chiri/São Paulo FC)

"Necessary sales"

According to Casares, the sales of Henrique and other Cotia Creations were "necessary". The leader claims that the Tricolor, in a delicate financial situation, needs to negotiate players to pay the squad's salary, in addition to other operational costs with the Cotia and Barra Funda CTs.

"It's a difficult financial issue, which is gradually improving. São Paulo needs to sell players. Of course we have to maintain a competitive team, but we have the responsibility to pay salaries, pay operational costs, maintain the lawn, the stadium, all the infrastructure preparation of the CT, both from Cotia and from Barra Funda. It's a responsibility," he justified.

"The sale of Henrique and the others was extremely necessary. We had to do it. The fan is sad, I am too. We tried to hold Henrique even longer, but it was not possible. We have to focus on financial responsibility and meeting goals," he concluded.

Who has left already?

São Paulo has been forced to dispose of promising young players for values below their potential due to the need to raise funds and adapt to the financial demands imposed by the club's investment fund, FIDC.

In addition to Henrique, the current management has already negotiated five other academy boys just this year. They were: William Gomes and Moreira, to Porto, Luiz Henrique, to Real Murcia, Matheus Alves, to CSKA Moscow, and Lucas Ferreira, to Shakhtar Donetsk.

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