Breaking: São Paulo in talks with Portuguese giants for defence | OneFootball

After failing to move forward with some of the names initially explored for financial reasons, São Paulo has opened negotiations with Portuguese center-back Domingos Duarte to strengthen its defense in the next transfer window.

At 31 years old and standing 1.92 meters tall, the defender — who built most of his career in Spanish football — is seen by Tricolor as a key piece for the position.

Having played for Sporting and Granada, in addition to earning call-ups to the Portugal national team, the player brings the international experience demanded by the board. He had been playing for Getafe, also in La Liga, but his contract expires next June 30, allowing him to arrive without the need to buy his rights.

The search for a center-back has become a priority at Morumbi due to issues in that area of the squad for the rest of the season.

Duarte’s profile is appealing because of his leadership, physical strength, aerial presence, and quality in playing out from the back.

The talks are still at an early stage, but they are already underway. São Paulo is working to align salary figures, signing bonus, and other contractual terms with the player. The board does not see that as an obstacle. The player is viewed as a major market opportunity to raise the team’s level.

Duarte was already close to Brazilian football in 2019, when he entered negotiations with Flamengo to replace Pablo Marí.

On the field, he is known for being a ball-playing center-back, with good distribution from the back, quality in the air, and composure in set defensive situations. His main characteristic is his reading of the game and his ability to start attacking moves from defense.

On the other hand, he is not a particularly quick defender, which means he tends to perform better in systems with less exposed defensive lines and greater defensive protection.

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