Bombshell! Swiss club want Maik from São Paulo: full-back to go | OneFootball

São Paulo’s board discovered in recent days that right-back Maik’s camp has been contacted by Basel, from Switzerland, and things are moving toward a proposal for the 21-year-old player being made in the next transfer window, during the World Cup.

The information was first reported by the page ‘Radar da Bola’ and confirmed to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR by sources from both São Paulo itself and the player.

According to what was learned, the board’s indication to the player’s agents is that Maik is a potential source of revenue through a transfer.

With spells in Brazil’s youth national teams and a decent record of matches for Tricolor’s senior side (18 games and two goals scored), the assessment is that the club could secure a good deal for the player, who apparently is not in Roger Machado’s plans.

Against O’Higgins in the Copa Sudamericana last Tuesday (14), at Morumbi, Maik completed his fifth straight match without being called up.

Asked about the matter, Roger tried to explain, suggesting that the youngster has not been delivering what the coaching staff has asked for in training.

“I have no other answer besides the one I gave, I think, in the last press conference: these are my choices for the moment. I work from a few principles. I respect the path and the history of all the athletes at the club and those who come from elsewhere. But each athlete’s history with me starts to be written from the moment I arrive. That is not set in stone. It will depend on the players’ willingness to show day by day that they deserve an opportunity, as they have had at some other point. There is nothing more to it than that… than the choices a coach makes for this first moment. Again: this is not set in stone. It can change according to the moment and each player’s productivity,” he said.

According to sources consulted by the report, the player’s behavior is considered completely normal and professional. There are no records of lateness or any kind of disciplinary problem.

“The player maintains an exemplary attitude, respects the coaching staff’s decisions, and keeps working hard to earn space in the squad,” summarized a source consulted.

The truth is that Roger has taken a shine to another name for the position from Cotia: Igor Felisberto. At 19, he was promoted to the senior team first, in 2024, by Thiago Carpini, is more consistent with the national team (he is a starter for the under-20s), and according to internal evaluations, has more potential than Maik.

Roger’s plan is to fully integrate Felisberto into the senior squad. And with that, the one set to lose space is the No. 42.

São Paulo had already acknowledged since the start of the year that Maik could be a potential negotiation in the middle of the year. The problem is that the youngster’s market value did not rise even with his starting role during Hernán Crespo’s time: it remains around R$ 12 million. For that reason, one solution being considered is to arrange a move with ‘more value,’ that is, to retain part of his rights so the club can profit from a future sale.

Maik is one of the few players promoted from the academy in whom São Paulo owns a large share of the rights. The club holds 90% of the player, which gives it greater decision-making power in a possible negotiation.

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