Corinthians trim Copinha squad to save costs, full-back in limbo

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Central do Timão

·5 Januari 2026

Corinthians trim Copinha squad to save costs, full-back in limbo

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians reduced the delegation sent to compete in the 2026 São Paulo Junior Football Cup and adopted cost-cutting measures during the tournament. Although the club could register up to 30 athletes, only 25 players were taken to Jaú, the host city for Timãozinho in the first phase. The information was obtained by the Meu Timão portal.

Staying in São Paulo were defender Rodrigo Gelado, midfielders Molina and Lucca Caramico, and forwards Drude and Jhonatan, who will only travel if necessary, such as in cases of injuries or call-ups to the professional team.

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Photo: Wanderson Oliveira/Corinthians

The cost reduction policy also affected the staff: from the top management of the youth system, only executive Erasmo Damiani and coordinator Robson Zimerman remain in Jaú, while director Nenê do Posto travels only on game days.

In total, the Corinthians delegation dropped from 62 members in 2024 to 47 in 2026, a reduction of about 25%. The board did not use 2025 as a benchmark due to the headquarters being in Santo André, in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, which made logistics easier. As a reference, the club cited São Paulo, which also faced financial difficulties and left four athletes out of the 2025 Copinha even with Jaú as the host city, a fact confirmed in match reports at the Zézinho Magalhães stadium.

The players who stayed at the training center continue to train normally and are available both for the Copinha team and for the professional coaching staff, led by Dorival Júnior. Corinthians will remain in Jaú at least until Friday, the 9th, when the first phase ends. If they qualify for the knockout stage, Timãozinho may change venues, although the São Paulo Football Federation usually prioritizes cities with better infrastructure for major clubs.

Parallel to the Copinha, right-back Gabriel Caipira, captain of the U-20, is experiencing an uncertain moment at the club. Left out of the competition due to a stress fracture in his tibia, the 20-year-old player returned to the youth training center this Monday to begin the physical transition process. According to Meu Timão, the player's future will be decided by the professional department in the coming days.

Born in 2005 and already too old to play for the U-20, Caipira awaits a decision that could involve integration into the main squad's preseason, a loan, or even seeking a new club. The right-back has a contract with Corinthians until December 2026 and, in similar cases, it is common for the club to offer a renewal before a possible loan.

In addition to Caipira, other athletes who did not travel to Jaú also reported back to the training center, while U-17 and U-20 players began their training sessions. Even with the Copinha underway, Dorival Júnior has the freedom to call up youth players for the professional preseason, as has already happened with João Vitor Jacaré, Thomas Lisboa, Luiz Gustavo Bahia, and Gui Amorim, who moved down to reinforce Timãozinho in the competition.

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