Corinthians keep Pedro Raul after failed striker moves | OneFootball

Corinthians decided to keep Pedro Raul after being frustrated in its search for a striker. Timão wanted to sign a center forward in the final days of the exceptional transfer window, but made no progress in any talks last Friday and is now banking on the continuity of the No. 18.

The signing of a “penalty-box striker” had long been a desire of both the board and the coaching staff. The club had identified the names of Arthur Cabral, from Botafogo, and Renê, from Portuguesa, and even opened negotiations with both. However, neither deal moved forward.

Given the failed attempts in the market, Corinthians decided to keep Pedro Raul. The club’s top brass chose not to make any further moves and finalized the squad for the Copa Libertadores group stage, the team’s main objective this year.

(Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians)

Pedro Raul had received inquiries from three Série A clubs: Chapecoense, Remo and Vitória. The center forward, however, was not enthusiastic about the possibility of leaving the club and always made it clear that he wants to succeed at Corinthians in this new opportunity.

Even so, the striker has yet to show what he can offer this season. The No. 18 has played 12 matches for Timão and provided one assist, but has yet to find the net. He has generally been used by the coaching staff in the final minutes of matches.

Pedro Raul will now have a new chance to prove himself at Corinthians. The player may benefit from absences in the team’s attack, which is without Memphis Depay and Gui Negão, both injured.

Failed negotiations

As reported by Gazeta Esportiva last Thursday, Corinthians put an end to talks with Botafogo over striker Arthur Cabral. The Rio club demanded that Timão pay a transfer fee for the player, while the São Paulo side was prioritizing a loan deal.

In addition, Corinthians did not want to cover 100% of the player’s salary, as his wages are high given the club’s financial restructuring. The club’s board even considered involving Pedro Raul in the talks, but the deal did not progress and the parties ended the negotiations.

Then, last Friday, Timão backed off and also decided to end negotiations with striker Renê, from Portuguesa. The club prioritized the financial restructuring plan put in place by the board.

Corinthians was interested in a loan move for the 22-year-old player. However, Portuguesa did not want to negotiate the player’s departure without financial compensation, and the deal was called off. The club therefore ended the exceptional transfer window without any new signings.

Corinthians’ upcoming matches

Fluminense vs Corinthians (ninth round of the Brazilian Championship) Date and time: 04/01 (Wednesday), 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Corinthians vs Internacional (tenth round of the Brazilian Championship) Date and time: 04/05 (Sunday), 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo (SP)

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