To offload Cédric, São Paulo will even subsidise a loan | OneFootball

São Paulo has decided it will make the conditions for right-back Cédric Soares’s departure as flexible as possible in this transfer window.

Out of the coaching staff’s plans for the rest of the season, the 34-year-old Portuguese defender has been training on an alternate schedule at Barra Funda training center.

Aiming to speed up the player’s exit, the club’s board has softened its stance and is willing to negotiate him through a loan deal, even agreeing to something unthinkable for a club with serious financial problems: paying part of the full-back’s wages.

Signed last year on a free transfer, Cédric arrived at Morumbi amid high expectations because of his background in European football. However, the player showed inconsistent form and has lost his place in the main rotation in recent months.

With a contract running until December 2027, both the club and the player’s representatives share the understanding that an immediate transfer is the best path for both sides.

Departure planning and squad overhaul

Cédric Soares tops a list of players available for transfer drawn up by São Paulo’s football department for this registration period. The club is adopting different strategies for each case, seeking to balance the finances and give young prospects playing time:

Bringing contract endings forward: To avoid losing assets without financial compensation, the board is trying to define the immediate departures of players whose contracts expire in December this year, such as goalkeeper Young, defensive midfielder Luan, and center-back Matheus Belém.

Gaining minutes: Forward Paulinho, recently promoted from Cotia’s youth academy, is seen as a talent who needs competitive experience. For the youngster, the club is prioritizing a loan move to teams where he can play regularly.

Among the moves currently underway, center-back Matheus Belém’s situation is the most advanced. The 23-year-old defender has sealed a verbal agreement to transfer to FK Qabala of Azerbaijan.

As the player’s contract with Tricolor expires in December, São Paulo agreed to release him immediately without a transfer fee. In return, the board secured the retention of 20% of the player’s economic rights, guaranteeing a financial share in future transactions on the international market.

Also this Tuesday (14), the Morumbi club finalized goalkeeper Young’s loan move to Portimonense of Portugal. The deal will be free of charge and, in return, Tricolor will keep 20% of the player’s rights in any future transfer.

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