Deal off: internal pressure and lack of funds stop Santos signing Arboleda | OneFootball

The possibility of center-back Robert Arboleda joining rival Santos is practically over.

According to what AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, two factors weighed heavily in the coastal club’s decision to all but treat the negotiations as finished.

The first one (and we would say the most significant) is that the name of the 34-year-old Ecuadorian caused strong dissatisfaction among council members allied with their president, Marcelo Teixeira.

The report heard from people connected to the Santos board that Arboleda’s cost is not worth the overall package. The center-back’s monthly cost reaches R$1 million, made up of R$700,000 registered in his employment contract and R$300,000 covered by São Paulo to reduce personal debts incurred by the player in the market.

Added to the financial issue is the player’s history of off-field incidents, considered a risk factor by the Santos hierarchy due to his advanced age and disciplinary profile.

But, of course, the internal dissatisfaction at Vila Belmiro is not the only issue. Santos does not want to give money to Tricolor for the deal.

As AMT previously revealed, Arboleda’s name was suggested to Santos football executive Alexandre Mattos, and he received head coach Cuca’s technical approval for talks to begin.

To seal the transfer, São Paulo’s board is demanding financial compensation of US$1 million (approximately R$5.4 million at the current exchange rate). The amount would be directed in full by the Morumbi club to settle a financial issue with the player’s agent, Pepe Chamorro.

With Arboleda having agreed to play for Santos, their board sought alternatives to move the deal forward. And it wanted to take the opportunity to try to get rid of some players from its squad who are no longer part of the plans.

The report learned from sources at São Paulo’s top management at least one of the names on a list sent by the coastal rival: Zé Rafael. The veteran 32-year-old defensive midfielder, known for his spell at Palmeiras, has declined this season and is looking for a club interested in taking him away from Vila Belmiro.

Well then, it will not be São Paulo opening its doors to the player. AMT learned that São Paulo’s board has already informed Santos that it has no interest in this type of deal. And that the condition for Arboleda’s release has already been agreed upon, including with Chamorro himself.

PACKED AND READY TO GO

Out of the plans ever since he abandoned Tricolor and disappeared for a month, the 34-year-old Ecuadorian has been offered to the coastal rival for about 15 days. At first, they turned down the “offer.” But in recent days they resumed talks with the player’s camp.

The report found that coach Cuca approves of the Ecuadorian defender’s profile and views a possible signing positively. Experienced and with extensive experience in Brazilian football, Arboleda has characteristics considered important to strengthen Santos’s defensive system throughout the season.

According to what AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR learned from sources in São Paulo’s upper management, Arboleda has no real chance of staying at Morumbi, as part of the fan base had hoped after absences in defense and Dória’s departure forced coach Dorival Júnior to use youth players such as Osório.

The final straw came when the player formally notified the club through legal channels demanding his immediate reinstatement to the squad.

Some journalists who cover São Paulo on a daily basis even stated that the center-back would be reinstated at Dorival’s request, but the football department no longer accepts working with the player. There is resistance from the squad leaders as well.

Arboleda has been receiving inquiries from several clubs in Brazil and abroad, but none has progressed into a concrete permanent transfer offer. The only offer came from Vitória, which wanted him on loan until the end of the season, something that was rejected by Tricolor.

Since arriving at Tricolor in 2017, Arboleda has established himself as one of the team’s main defensive pillars, collecting titles, call-ups to the Ecuador national team, and a bond with part of the fan base. Despite the less favorable moment, a possible departure is not ruled out, as long as there is sporting or financial return for the club.

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