Flamengo set age cap as Jardim targets younger, faster players | OneFootball

The World Cup break will hand Leonardo Jardim the preparation he lacked at Flamengo, and the club are using it to finalise a recruitment plan centred on rejuvenation.

According to Globo.com, the board and coaching staff want to rejuvenate an ageing squad. Jardim has rotated to manage workloads, and fresh options are sought to sharpen that approach in the second half of the year.

Technical quality, pace and robust fitness are seen as essential in targets. At least three positions are considered the most pressing.

With a 35-year-old left-back in his final contract year, that flank is a priority. In holding midfield, only Evertton Araújo, 23, and De la Cruz, 28, are under 30, and the Uruguayan has struggled for minutes due to fitness issues. A centre-forward to challenge Pedro is also urgent.

Jardim has said the team are champions but not young, so workload management is vital across a long calendar with games every three days. After beating Cusco, he stressed the need for intensity, technique and some speed, given his side spend plenty of time on the ball.

The club have set an upper age limit, seeking to avoid recruits over 26 to deliver now and protect resale value. Longer term, they plan to promote more academy players, with Jardim set to assess youngsters during the break.

Source: Globo.com