Palmeiras drop Nino, and Flu could form a dream defence with Thiago Silva | OneFootball

With the break for the 2026 World Cup, Fluminense’s players have gone into “vacation mode,” since their next match will only be on July 22.

But the club’s board remains alert to possible reinforcements for the second half of the season, when the team will play the second half of the Brasileirão, where it currently sits in third place, as well as the round of 16 of the Libertadores (against Independiente Rivadavia) and the Copa do Brasil (against Vasco).

The initial focus is to bring more security to the defensive system, since, even with coach Luis Zubeldía testing Ignacio and Jemmes alongside the much-criticized Freytes, Flu has had a few “nightmares” with its center-backs.

However, that scenario could change completely with the possibility of Nino and Thiago Silva becoming the “dream center-back pairing” for Fluminense fans.

So, let’s look at each case below!

📺 The Nino saga nearing its end

According to Nosso Palestra, a website specializing in Palmeiras coverage, the São Paulo club has given up on trying to sign Nino.

This reportedly happened because Palmeiras reached an agreement with center-back Alexander Barboza, formerly of Botafogo, and because the club is focused on renewing the contracts of Murilo and captain Gustavo Gómez.

Previously, the green-and-white side had signaled a proposal of a four-year contract for Nino, after paying between 10 and 12 million euros (around R$59 million to R$70 million) to Zenit.

The 29-year-old center-back is under contract with the Russian club until June 2028, and Fluminense is working on an offer of 13 million euros (around R$77.6 million), even though Zenit asked for 17 million euros (approximately R$101.4 million).

🔙 The return of the Monster

For the “perfect scenario,” Fluminense’s board is dreaming of Thiago Silva’s return after the 41-year-old center-back’s contract with FC Porto came to an end.

According to journalist Victor Lessa, Tricolor has been sounding out the situation of the Monster, who has not yet decided what he will do in the second half of the season or whether he will retire.

Thiago Silva left Fluminense at the end of 2025, claiming he needed to be closer to his family, who live in Europe.

Also according to Victor Lessa, the move by Fluminense’s board is being treated as “natural,” since the Monster still holds idol status among the fans and, even with his unexpected departure, kept the lines of communication open with directors and players in the Fluminense squad.

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

📸 Raul Sifuentes - 2023 Getty Images