Leadership, size, strength: meet Domingos Duarte, in talks with São Paulo | OneFootball

* By contributor Pimenta

São Paulo has been stepping up its search for reinforcements, and the defense is the board’s main focus. With that in mind, the club is looking for a center-back with leadership, physical presence, and international experience.

And one player who fits Tricolor’s search is 32-year-old Portuguese defender Domingos Duarte. As reported by AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, São Paulo has opened talks with the Portuguese defender, though negotiations are still at an early stage.

An established center-back in European football, he already has a proposal from Tricolor in hand. Domingos Duarte came through Sporting Portugal’s youth academy and has always shown himself to be a player with great physical strength and leadership.

During his career, he has played for Sporting B, Belenenses (on loan), Chaves (on loan), as well as Spanish sides Granada (2019–2022) and Getafe (2022–present).

His contract ends in the middle of the year and is not expected to be renewed by Getafe, which would make him a free agent. Therefore, the player fits São Paulo’s preferred deal structure, with no transfer fee involved and only signing-on bonuses and wages to be agreed.

In the 2025/26 season, Domingos made 33 La Liga appearances, with one goal and one assist, and was an undisputed starter in Getafe’s defense, which was also one of the best in the Spanish league.

The Portuguese center-back’s main strengths are:

* Excellent in the air * Strong in physical duels * Good defensive reading of the game * Leadership and positioning * ⁠Height (1.92 m)

Compared with players currently playing in Brazil, we could say the Portuguese defender has similar characteristics to Paraguayan center-back Gustavo Gómez of rivals Palmeiras. But we also have to consider some downsides to his style of play:

* He is not a fast center-back * He picks up a lot of cards

Because of his combative style, he often ends up going a bit too far. Even with those negative traits, I see a possible signing of the Portuguese defender in a positive light, since he fits the profile requested by coach Dorival—the classic defensive enforcer.

Obviously, Domingos Duarte has a market in both Europe and Brazil. If it doesn’t turn into a bidding war, I think he would be an interesting addition to the Tricolor squad, since we need center-backs after the departures of Arboleda and Dória.

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