Anselmi confirms Botafogo idol agrees deal with rival club | OneFootball

Botafogo coach Martín Anselmi has confirmed that Venezuelan Jefferson Savarino has an agreement with Fluminense.

The Argentine made his debut in charge of Glorioso this Wednesday, in the team's 1-0 victory over Volta Redonda, and spoke about the player's departure in a press conference.

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Withdrawn from the match

In one of the first questions of the press conference, Anselmi explained why Savarino was announced as part of the squad for the game, but was withdrawn from the team moments before the match.

“15 minutes before the afternoon talk, he asked to speak with me and said he had a deal with Fluminense,” he commented.“I can't have a player who doesn't want to stay at Botafogo. If he doesn't want to stay or isn't mentally prepared to play, that's fine,” declared the coach.

The Argentine went on to highlight that the information passed to him by the board is that there is a preliminary agreement, but nothing has been signed yet.

Turbulent times

The departure of the Botafogo idol comes amid a context of political and financial crisis at the club, managed by John Textor, which is suffering from a FIFA transfer ban and is giving up key players from the squad to balance its finances.

Initially, the player was reluctant to swap Alvinegro for Fluminense, but the club's desire to sell him and his wish to remain in Rio de Janeiro led Savarino to accept the rival's offer.

About the match

Martín Anselmi praised his players' performance in the victory against Volta Redonda. The coach also pointed out that misalignments are normal at the start of the season and at the beginning of a new project.

“In the first play, I think yes, there was a misalignment, but after that they did very well. Obviously, we have to improve a lot.I am very demanding of myself and will be with them as well. I have to push them to their limits, and we’ll see where their limits are,” he said.

Next challenge

⚔️ Match: Botafogo vs Bangú

🏆 Competition: Campeonato Carioca 2026

📅 Date: January 24, 2026 (Saturday)

⏰ Time: 9:00 PM (Brasília time)

🏟️ Venue: Estádio Nilton Santos

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