Exodus grows: São Paulo clear two more Cotia graduates out | OneFootball

Defensive midfielder Hugo Leonardo and right-back Moreira have been authorized by São Paulo’s board and coaching staff to look for new clubs on loan for the remainder of the season.

Coach Dorival Júnior’s assessment is that both players need more playing time and a run of starts to continue their professional development, opportunities they would be unlikely to get in the current squad.

In Moreira’s case, the decision comes right after his early return from Porto, in Portugal, which terminated the full-back’s loan deal following a spell marked by injuries and few opportunities with the Portuguese first team.

The full-back’s representatives will meet with São Paulo’s board later this afternoon to present an official proposal from football in the United Arab Emirates. The offer on the table involves the permanent transfer of the 22-year-old player, changing the club’s initial plan, which had only envisioned sending him out on loan for the rest of the season.

Despite progress in talks between the parties and the club’s interest in reviewing the figures presented, the deal still depends on the player’s own approval. Moreira is not fully convinced about a move to the Arab market at this point in his career and is weighing the sporting and personal impact of the transfer before giving a final answer.

The release of the duo is part of a broader squad restructuring process, which also included the loan of defensive midfielder Negrucci to Athletic (MG) until the end of the year.

The transfer of the 22-year-old was requested by coach Alex, former head of São Paulo’s youth teams, and does not include a purchase option, as São Paulo considers the player one of its main assets from Cotia, having recently renewed his contract through 2029 with a €100 million release clause.

In addition to them, other names have been placed on the market: full-back Maik and forward Paulinho are also expected to be loaned out due to increased internal competition, while Portuguese player Cédric Soares has been cleared to seek a new permanent destination.

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