São Paulo eye early move for Marcos Antônio to avoid surprises | OneFootball

São Paulo doesn't even know who its football management will be in 2026, but one thing is certain among all the club's strong men, whether or not from the main sport: the absolute priority as soon as the current season ends is to permanently sign Marcos Antônio to avoid unpleasant surprises.

The midfielder, whose stay at Morumbi was secured after an agreement with Lazio, Italy, for a new loan until June of next year, indeed has a purchase obligation in the agreement. The Tricolor will have to shell out R$ 27 million at the end of the temporary loan. The agreement allows for payment in up to three annual installments of the amount.

But the information gathered by AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR is that the Morumbi club wants to act in advance. With tight finances and a spending cap implemented by the investment fund, expenses need to be precise. The understanding is that they cannot slack off on ensuring the permanence of a player who has become vital in coach Hernán Crespo's scheme.

The reason is clear: Marcos Antônio has become a standout. He is even on the radar of the Brazilian National Team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, who is expected to test him in the national team aiming for next year's World Cup.

In this scenario, São Paulo prefers not to wait until June to secure the definitive acquisition. Even though the values are fixed in the contract, the Tricolor has recent traumas of loaned players who were supposed to stay but left, like left-back Caio Paulista and defender Ruan.

Precaution. This is the word that two sources consulted by the report used when referring to the decision to anticipate the purchase of Marcos Antônio. Moreover, even with a three-year verbal contract with the midfielder, the Morumbi club understands that there is a risk in starting salary and signing bonus discussions amid a scenario of interest from other clubs or, perhaps, even a World Cup dispute.

Marcos Antônio had arrived at Tricolor last season, on loan. In theory, he was to be purchased in July of this year. But president Julio Casares informed Lazio that there was no money to invest in the purchase at that time. It was agreed that he would be loaned for another season and the purchase option would become an obligation.

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