Anthony Valencia in squad, could debut in Flamengo's next game | OneFootball

23-year-old player arrives to replace Gonzalo Plata, who left Flamengo

Anthony Valencia, 23, is Flamengo’s first signing in the current transfer window. The 23-year-old forward arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday night (30). Without wasting any time, Anthony will be included in the squad for Flamengo vs. Mirassol next Wednesday (02). The information was first obtained by Rock Hudson, from the Coluna do Fla newsroom, in partnership with Gabriel Orphão, from the Paparazzo Rubro-Negro channel.

Valencia could make his debut in the postponed Matchday 4 game

Flamengo’s board is working quickly to sort out the Ecuadorian’s registration as soon as possible. This way, Leonardo Jardim will already have the option of naming the new signing in the squad for his debut. However, the decision on whether he will actually take the field is up to the coach.

Valencia arrives to fill the spot left by Gonzalo Plata in the squad. The forward was sold to Dynamo Moscow for 12 million euros. As a result, Flamengo already sees the Ecuadorian as the direct replacement in the team.

Who Flamengo’s new signing is

Anthony Valencia had been at Royal Antwerp in Belgium since 2022. He played 84 matches and scored 13 goals for the Belgian club. Even so, the player accepted the challenge of taking on Brazilian football.

The Ecuadorian has also collected important titles won in Europe recently. He won the Belgian League, the Belgian Cup, and the Belgian Super Cup. Therefore, he arrives at Flamengo with an international résumé and experience in big matches.

A product of Independiente del Valle, Valencia has already lifted the U-20 Copa Libertadores trophy. That achievement reinforces the forward’s winning track record since his youth days. Flamengo is therefore betting on a player who has been used to winning titles from an early age.

Rubro-Negro fans are already waiting for the official presentation of the new signing. As such, expectations are growing for a possible debut against Mirassol this Wednesday. Even so, the board is handling the next steps with due caution.

Impact of his arrival on Flamengo’s squad

The signing comes at an important moment in the season, with the team in the title race. This gives Leonardo Jardim another option to manage squad fatigue. Valencia also adds to the attacking options for matches in a packed schedule.

The game against Mirassol carries extra weight because it is a postponed league fixture. Therefore, a win would bring Flamengo even closer to leaders Palmeiras in the standings. Currently, the gap is only four points, so if Fla win the postponed match, the difference will fall to just one.

In the coming hours, the club is expected to officially confirm the contract details. Even so, the expectation is that Valencia will already be named in the squad on Wednesday. Coluna do Fla continues to follow the developments and will update the article shortly.

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