São Paulo banking on stars for 2026? Inside the plans and Casares’ vision | OneFootball

The year isn’t over yet, but São Paulo has already taken the first steps and begun planning for next season, at least in terms of football. The budget, however, depends on the club’s final position in the Brazilian Championship table, due to the revenue that will come in.

Despite financial uncertainties, president Julio Casares, who is entering his last year in office, considers one thing certain: São Paulo wants to keep its main stars (Luciano, Oscar, and Lucas) on the roster for 2026. The doubt arose amid Vasco’s recent interest in the Tricolor forward and the recent injuries to the No. 8 and No. 7.

“Everyone who has a contract, Lucas and Oscar, we’re counting on them. Now, of course, the planning for next year, as soon as the Brazilian Championship ends, we will do it. We already have, of course, a draft, and we’re going to develop the strengthening for 2026. What upsets us when we see news is that, for example, the transfer window isn’t even open. Then the other day I saw ‘São Paulo prefers to sell Luciano to the Arab market.’ I don’t know where that came from. Luciano is a São Paulo player, there is no offer for him or for anyone. There’s no open window. Therefore, Lucas, Oscar, Luciano, we’re counting on them. If there’s a new development in the window, we’ll discuss it as always, and plan football for 2026,” said Casares at a press conference last Tuesday.

Luciano is under contract with São Paulo until the end of 2026, as is Lucas. Oscar, in turn, joined the club this season and signed a deal valid until 2027.

Of the three most ‘high-profile’ players in the squad, Luciano is the one who played the most for São Paulo in 2025. The No. 10 featured in 47 matches, with 13 goals and six assists. Lucas and Oscar, meanwhile, spent the year dealing with injuries and played little: the midfielder appeared in 21 games, while the forward played 20.

Oscar, in fact, should be out for at least another month, according to Gazeta Esportiva. São Paulo’s No. 8, who was close to returning to the pitch, suffered a left calf injury. Lucas, meanwhile, is available and hopes to return to the starting lineup against Grêmio this Thursday.

The focus is a Libertadores spot

São Paulo was eliminated in the semifinals of the Paulista Championship and in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil, failing to meet the budget targets set at the start of the season. On the other hand, it achieved its goal in the Libertadores, but bowed out of the continental tournament in the quarterfinals.

Now, São Paulo is competing only in the Brazilian Championship. In eighth place with 38 points, the Tricolor has set its main sporting objective as securing a direct berth in the 2026 Libertadores. To do so, however, the team needs to recover from a period of inconsistency, having suffered four losses in its last five games.

“A Libertadores spot gives you a different revenue potential. The budget is built with scenarios. We make a pessimistic, moderate, and pessimistic scenario. We have it modulated; when the result comes out, it depends on the prize money we receive from the Brasileirão. We met the Libertadores target, which was the quarterfinals; unfortunately in the Paulista and the Copa do Brasil we didn’t reach it, which was in our budget target. In the budget forecast, of expenses and balance, we work with scenarios. We had an important meeting and it’s being put together. We want to be clear that our main goal is to try to secure that Libertadores spot. That’s why other matters, new projects, the political side, are moving with no rush at all. The focus has to be football,” said president Julio Casares.

São Paulo’s upcoming matches

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