Marcos Braz cites Barcelona, warns Flamengo over spending: ‘Get it wrong…’

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Coluna do Fla

·4 Agustus 2026

Marcos Braz cites Barcelona, warns Flamengo over spending: ‘Get it wrong…’

How is Flamengo performing in the transfer window?

Flamengo remains active in the transfer window as it looks to strengthen the squad for the remainder of the 2026 season. Former Fla vice-president Marcos Braz took the opportunity to warn Mengão about the high level of investment in signings.

Sometimes you end up becoming hostage to the pressure to sign players: “Oh, you left it until the end to sign someone, that’s absurd.” So how is it now? It’s difficult! It’s a process. And when you reach the level of signings at a club like Flamengo, you have to be even more responsible. If you make a mistake, you make a mistake worth millions! And it’s not just the signing itself, either. It’s 4, 5 years of contract. In one season, with Dembélé, Griezmann, and Coutinho, Barcelona (ESP) went broke! Flamengo is that big, but if it gets two or three signings wrong, you’re making a 100-million-dollar mistake. Although many people didn’t act responsibly toward me, I’m someone who carries a lot of responsibility, including toward the Flamengo directors who are there today. Because I know how difficult it is to align things with the financial department, to align things with the coaching staff… It’s difficult,” Braz said in an interview with Basticast 365.

What are Flamengo’s transfer priorities?

Flamengo wants to bring in three players to strengthen the squad in this transfer window. So far, the only name that has ‘leaked’ is Thiago Almada, former Botafogo player and Atlético de Madrid (ESP) midfielder. However, the Rubro-Negro faces competition from River Plate (ARG) for the signing.

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In addition, the club’s board wants to sign a winger and a center forward. The idea is to bring in a young player to rotate with Pedro in certain matches, since the No. 9 is an undisputed starter in Leonardo Jardim’s team.

How much did Flamengo invest in the first window of 2026?

Flamengo does not intend to make any financial ‘crazy moves’ right now. That is because the Rubro-Negro invested heavily in the first transfer window of the year. At the time, according to the transparency report released by Fla, the club spent more than R$ 430 million.

Lucas Paquetá – R$ 315.6 million
Vitão – R$ 81.5 million
Andrew – R$ 34.7 million
Total – R$ 431.8 million

What did José Boto say about the club’s financial situation?

Flamengo football director José Boto traveled to Argentina in recent days to handle negotiations for Thiago Almada. Upon returning to Brazil, in the early hours of this Tuesday (04), the Portuguese executive highlighted the complexity of the deal and said he would not risk ‘breaking’ the club for one player.

— We have to stick together, because it won’t be easy until the end of the year, and we can’t listen to people who talk about what they don’t know. Almada may come, someone else may come, or no one may come, but if someone does come, be sure that Flamengo’s president (Bap) is as much of a fan as all of you, or even more — he said, before concluding:

— He will not let the club go broke. And many times, in that eagerness to bring in a certain name, a player of this level, the club ends up going broke. So I want to tell people to stay calm: if any player has to come, he will come under Flamengo’s terms, and not through bidding wars — Boto concluded.

What is the opinion of the article’s author?

Flamengo really does need to keep a close eye on its finances, since it ‘opened its wallet’ in the first transfer window of 2026. At the same time, Leonardo Jardim’s team needs reinforcements, as highlighted by the coach himself. In other words, the club needs to be precise in the market so as not to harm itself,” said Davi Esteves, journalist for Coluna do Fla.

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