At Massis's request, São Paulo reopen talks for Portuguese stopper | OneFootball

President Harry Massis’s presence at Barra Funda training center during São Paulo’s training session last Monday (22) was no coincidence. After dismissing Rui Costa from the role of football executive, the Tricolor president met with manager Rafinha, who is currently handling multiple duties, and mapped out the plan for the transfer market.

According to what AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR found out, at Massis’s insistence, the Morumbi club will reopen talks with Portuguese center-back Domingos Duarte.

Tricolor had ended negotiations to sign the 31-year-old, 1.92-meter-tall player after he asked for figures considered too high to play in Brazilian football and responded negatively to different contract models presented by the team during the talks.

The turnaround began precisely over the weekend. After learning of Rui Costa’s dismissal, Duarte’s agents approached São Paulo. Opposed to the defender’s stance of asking for more than had previously been agreed, his camp is concerned by the fact that he has not even received inquiries from Europe considered ideal.

Duarte is seen by Tricolor as a key piece for its depleted back line, which lost Dória. A market opportunity considered unique. The club’s own directors stressed to him and his camp that he would arrive as the undisputed starter in the position.

With spells at Sporting and Granada, as well as call-ups to the Portugal national team, the player brings the international experience required by the board. He had been playing for Getafe, also in La Liga, but his contract expires on June 30, allowing him to arrive without the club having to buy his rights.

With spells at Sporting and Granada, as well as call-ups to the Portugal national team, the player brings the international experience required by the board. He had been playing for Getafe, also in La Liga, but his contract expires on June 30, allowing him to arrive without the club having to buy his rights.

Duarte’s profile appealed because of his leadership, physical strength, aerial presence, and quality in playing out from the back.

He had already come close to Brazilian football in 2019, when he entered talks with Flamengo as a possible replacement for Pablo Marí.

On the field, he is known as a ball-playing center-back, with good distribution, quality in the air, and reliability in positional defending. His main traits are his reading of the game and his ability to start attacking moves from the back.

On the other hand, he is not a particularly fast defender, which means he performs better in systems with less exposed lines and greater defensive protection.

São Paulo are looking for at least two more pieces for their defensive unit. One of them will be an internal solution: Arboleda will be reintegrated into the squad and will be available to Dorival Júnior for the rest of the season.

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