São Paulo set Marcos Antônio fee, record price deters Flamengo | OneFootball

AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR revealed last week that after the impeachment of Julio Casares and the inauguration of Harry Massis Júnior as president, São Paulo decided to sit down with Flamengo to understand how much the Rio club is truly willing to count on Marcos Antônio, a request from their coach, Filipe Luís.

Well, the Morumbi club heard in a virtual meeting the Flamengo offer. They agreed to give up midfielder Allan, a São Paulo target in the current transfer window, plus a sum of money. The amount was kept confidential, but the report found it was close to 10 million euros (approximately R$ 63 million). They also promised São Paulo would retain a percentage of the rights to their number 8.

São Paulo rejected the offer. But, as AMT found out, executive Rui Costa promised that talks were not over. He was asked by José Boto if an in-person meeting could be held this Wednesday (28th), taking advantage of the Rio club's stay in São Paulo for the opening round of the Brazilian Championship between the two clubs.

Well, the meeting took place this afternoon. And São Paulo set the price at which they would agree to negotiate Marcos Antônio: 25 million euros (about R$ 155 million).

This is the highest amount ever asked by São Paulo in a negotiation. As revealed by the portal ‘UOL‘, it would break the transfer record of the Morumbi club, which belongs to the R$ 108 million raised with Lucas’s move to PSG in 2012.

In practice, the amount is even higher, since Costa also wants Allan’s release as part of the deal, arguing that he would need the reinforcement due to the gap that would open up in the squad.

As expected, the reaction from the Rio club was the worst possible. Boto said Flamengo does not intend to pay that much for Marcos Antônio. And he heard from his São Paulo counterpart that Marcos Antônio has indispensable status, just like Kaio Jorge at Cruzeiro, another target attempted by the red-black team this window.

Given the impasse, the Rio club’s negotiations to get the midfielder are temporarily suspended, even though their executive promised to take the situation for internal discussion with the board.

DRAWN-OUT NEGOTIATION (FOR THEM)

To get the player, Flamengo decided to put its support machine into action and, since Thursday afternoon (8th), journalists and influencers from the Rio club have been dropping the bomb: Marcos Antônio signaled positively for a transfer to Gávea after a phone conversation with Filipe Luís.

The news hit like a bomb on the Tricolor side, according to the report. And it kind of buried the attempt to calm the fans about the stay of last year’s most important outfield player. As part of the effort to assure the São Paulo fans of the ‘little engine’s’ permanence, it was even leaked that he will wear the number 8 shirt this year, now vacant after Oscar’s retirement.

But would it really be correct to say he will wear it?

Well, hard to say. AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR found out from São Paulo football sources that the information from the Flamengo side is accurate. And so is São Paulo’s. How to explain? Simple: Marcos Antônio does not oppose a move to Rio de Janeiro (SP). But he also doesn’t want trouble with the Morumbi club. If he stays, he stays, with no hard feelings or frustrations.

This is just another chapter in the latest soap opera playing out at São Paulo. And it’s directly related to the club’s negotiations to sign Allan. Behind the scenes, it’s said in Barra Funda that the Flamengo side set a trap. And the signs are more than clear.

After Flamengo’s football manager, José Boto, returned from Europe and signaled positively to negotiate Allan’s loan to Tricolor, the Rio club changed its tone after the proposal was taken to their board. And, as had been speculated since December, the attempt is to get Marcos Antônio in the deal.

The report found that Boto gave the news to São Paulo manager Rui Costa on Thursday morning, justifying that it was a decision by his board. And that, for the midfielder, he would agree to more than just giving up Allan. He would also give a sum to Tricolor for the deal. A kindness from the wealthy Rio club to the struggling São Paulo team.

As if bad luck wasn’t enough. Costa, who rejected Flamengo’s first offer, even ended up leaking to them that things are not going well at Morumbi due to the impeachment vote of president Julio Casares, which will happen next week. To Rio journalists, the information was that all negotiations at São Paulo are on hold until then. Tricolor, of course, denies this.

Whether it’s just Flamengo posturing or not, time will tell. The fact is that the Rio club put its machine to work. They want Marcos Antônio and are sparing no effort. As the signs are clear this season, see their negotiation for Kaio Jorge from Cruzeiro.

Rumors circulated on Thursday night that the midfielder’s agent was at the training center. Which could be another indication. Even if São Paulo exercises its right to buy the player from Italy’s Lazio, who guarantees there’s money to give Marcos Antônio a salary increase?

The midfielder is, today, without false modesty, the main piece in coach Hernán Crespo’s scheme and considered the team’s pillar for 2026. That is, for now, São Paulo’s official stance is that there is no interest whatsoever in letting him go. At the turn of the year, there was information that the Morumbi club would act and advance payment to Lazio. But time passed and nothing was done. The problem? Money, obviously.

The player landed at Morumbi in July 2024, loaned for a season by the Italians and with a purchase clause stipulated if match targets were met.

Well, in July this year, after intense negotiation, since the Tricolor club was constantly struggling with the well-known lack of money, São Paulo managed to get Lazio to extend the loan for another year. And the purchase, previously tied to performance, became mandatory.

Now, São Paulo has committed to paying 4.2 million euros (about R$ 27.5 million) to have Marcos Antônio permanently. The agreement provides for payment in three annual installments, with the first due in June 2026.

With this, Tricolor says it is protected against ‘outsiders’ who want to swoop in and take the midfielder from Morumbi. Of course, if the ‘feared’ Flamengo really wants the player, the negotiation would be quite complex and would also have to involve the Italians, in addition to the two Brazilian clubs.

The plan is relatively simple: split the first installment in two and make the payment still in January. Have the guarantee that the purchase is finalized once and for all. And, with Lazio’s permission, sign a definitive contract with the midfielder.

If Marcos Antônio has changed his mind and now accepts to play for Flamengo, it’s a turnaround, since before arriving at São Paulo, he had rejected an approach from the Rio club.

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