São Paulo bid to sign midfielder on loan, but Bahia want a permanent deal | OneFootball

São Paulo received little encouraging news early on Monday evening (19th) in its search for reinforcements to meet coach Hernán Crespo’s needs. The Tricolor finally entered the market after freezing negotiations last week due to the political uncertainty caused by the impeachment of Julio Casares. With Harry Massis taking over the presidency, inquiries resumed.

The Morumbi club submitted an official proposal in the morning to sign attacking midfielder Cauly, 30, from Bahia. According to our sources, the offer—which did not have its value disclosed—was for a one-season loan with a clause for a permanent transfer if certain targets, such as a number of appearances, were met.

The Salvador (BA) team rejected the approach in the afternoon and seemed to have ended the talks.

However, a few hours ago, Bahia’s directors got back in touch with football executive Rui Costa. They said they are willing to negotiate Cauly, provided the transfer is permanent right now. The asking price was 10 million euros (about R$ 62.5 million). And obviously, that’s way too much for São Paulo’s current budget, which thanked them and promised to get back soon. The truth is, as we know: there’s no money in the coffers for that.

Cauly is ambidextrous and highly regarded by idol Rogério Ceni. This season, he has caught the attention of other clubs. Rivals Corinthians were among those who inquired about him, as well as Internacional and Fluminense.

Although he was born in Bahia, the player has only played professionally in Brazil for the Salvador team, after being signed in 2023 from Ludogorets, Bulgaria. Before that, he played only in Germany. In addition to being an attacking midfielder, he can also play on the wings. He has a contract with Bahia until the end of 2028.

Signing an attacking midfielder is a priority for São Paulo, which is currently using Lucas in the role after Oscar decided to retire and the club sold Rodriguinho to Bragantino. On Monday, the Tricolor made an official proposal to loan Julián Fernández, a 21-year-old prospect from New York City.

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