Vasco signings shaped by Diniz, four of six arrivals influenced | OneFootball

Fernando Diniz has left Vasco, yet four of the club’s six signings this year bear his imprint. During the first 2026 window he drove recommendations, approvals and even player persuasion.

According to PaponaColina, the board retained Diniz after finishing runners-up in the Copa do Brasil in December 2025, then built recruitment around his possession and build-from-the-back ideas. That approach delivered Alan Saldivia, Cuiabano, Johan Rojas, Brenner, Marino Hinestroza and Spinelli.

Centre-back Alan Saldivia and forward Brenner were explicit requests from Diniz. The Uruguayan defender had caught his eye in previous meetings with Chile’s Colo-Colo, particularly for his distribution from the back.

Brenner’s link is longer, the striker enjoyed his best spell under Diniz at São Paulo and also worked with him at Fluminense.

Diniz also took a hands-on role with Colombian winger Marino Hinestroza, contacting him directly to sell the Vasco project while Boca Juniors had a formal offer on the table. After the analysis department flagged Johan Rojas, the coach spoke with the midfielder pre-signing to align tactical expectations.

Only full-back Cuiabano and forward Spinelli were largely handled by the hierarchy, with reduced coaching influence. With Diniz now gone, his successor will inherit a squad tailored to a specific model. Bruno Lazaroni takes interim charge against Santos in the fourth round of the Campeonato Brasileiro next Wednesday, 25, and Vasco continue to monitor the market for another defensive midfielder to complete their business in this window.

Source: PaponaColina