Palmeiras move forward with deal for Botafogo defender Barboza | OneFootball

Palmeiras have moved forward with a deal to sign Botafogo centre-back Alexander Barboza, who is expected to arrive in São Paulo in the next transfer window from 20 July.

According to Globo.com, Palmeiras will pay US$ four million, about R$ 20 million, for his release, with the agreement awaiting legal formalities before it is made official.

The São Paulo club had initially aimed to bring the Argentine in for free at the end of the year via a pre-contract from the second half of the season. Plans shifted amid the prospect of a bidding war, with concern that Cruzeiro could try to hijack the move, though the expectation remains that Palmeiras will secure the signing.

Barboza is under contract at Botafogo until December 2026. A verbal understanding over a renewal was reached, but fresh requests for guarantees, including leadership continuity, stalled progress and a new deal has become unlikely. Before the disagreements, talks had explored an extension to 2029.

A recent idol at Botafogo, Barboza won the Conmebol Libertadores and the Campeonato Brasileiro in 2024. He has made 117 appearances, scoring four goals and providing four assists.

He has played nine times in the current Brasileiro. With the rule change from 2026, the cap on matches before a player can switch clubs has risen to 12.

If completed, the move would add to strong competition at centre-back under Abel Ferreira, who already has Gómez, Murilo, Benedetti and Fuchs. Palmeiras also continue to consider Nino, the ex-Fluminense defender now at Zenit.

Source: Globo.com