Vasco set top priority for 2026, Diniz involved in the plan | OneFootball

Vasco has already started planning for the 2026 season, with the active participation of Fernando Diniz. The management has identified the main needs of the squad and has set an absolute priority for the next transfer window: the signing of a defensive midfielder.

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The shortfall exposed in 2025

The management understands that the sector needs a significant reinforcement. In mid-2025, the club chose to focus investments on defense. At that time, Carlos Cuesta and Robert Renan were signed, leaving the midfield as a secondary concern.

The solutions for the sector were low-cost, such as the arrival of Thiago Mendes and the return of Cauan Barros (América-MG). However, the new serious injury of Jair, combined with the decline in performance of Paulinho and Mateus Carvalho, left the sector weakened.

Thiago Mendes was signed but has not performed yet – Photo: Bruno Murito

The profile of the reinforcement and Vasco's plan

Vasco is looking for a player who brings more balance and quality. The outlined profile is of an athlete with good physical conditioning. He needs to fit into Fernando Diniz's style of play, who participates in the evaluations along with Admar Lopes, Felipe, and Pedrinho.

The budget, however, will remain tight. The idea is to repeat the 2025 strategy and look for market opportunities. Besides the defensive midfielder, the Gigante da Colina is also expected to seek another defender and a "mobile" forward to provide more options for the squad.

Admar Lopes will have a lot of work right at the beginning of next year – Photo: Reproduction

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