After Avaí deal collapses, São Paulo lets academy gem join SP side for free | OneFootball

São Paulo has moved forward with the release of 21-year-old forward Paulinho to Botafogo-SP.

The player is expected in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, to undergo medical exams and then sign a valid contract.

Under the agreement reached between the two boards, Tricolor will retain 40% of the player's rights, aiming to profit from a future transfer.

Paulinho is 21 years old and was the team's standout player in this season's runner-up finish in the Copinha. He was the tournament's top scorer with six goals.

The forward had already shone in the tournament title in 2025, when he replaced top scorer Ryan Francisco in the final and scored two goals against Corinthians.

The forward suffered a ligament strain in his left knee in the final of this year's youth competition and spent months sidelined. Even after returning, he was never called up for another match with the senior team.

Botafogo-SP plays in Brazil's Série B and is seeking the signing to strengthen the squad for the second half of the national competition.

Planning Adjustment

The transfer fits São Paulo's football department planning to give the forward more playing time, as he has exceeded the age limit for the youth categories.

With no room in the main coaching staff's plans, the player had been training at alternative times and outside the squad's match routine. The club's internal assessment sees the loan move as the ideal alternative for the player to regain his competitive rhythm.

Before the deal with the Ribeirão Preto side was finalized, Paulinho had drawn interest from Avaí, but talks with the Santa Catarina club did not progress into a formal offer.

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