Vasco block key player's exit, demand much higher fee | OneFootball

The transfer window remains busy at São Januário, and Vasco da Gama has taken a firm stance to protect its main assets. This Friday (16th), it was made public that the Cruzmaltina board rejected an official proposal from Beşiktaş (Turkey) for the signing of left-back Lucas Piton. The values presented by the Europeans were considered insufficient to remove one of the pillars of Fernando Diniz's team.

+ “R$ 43 million”: Vasco accepts offer for starter, but deal depends on another club

The offer and Vasco's refusal

The Turkish club put an amount of 4 million euros (approximately R$ 26 million at the current exchange rate) on the table. Vasco's response was an immediate “no.” Although the management does not treat any player as “non-negotiable,” the internal understanding is that Piton, at 25 years old, is worth much more. To open talks, the interested party will need to present figures “well above” this amount.

The athlete's appreciation is due not only to his offensive numbers and consistency in Brazilian football but also to an off-field asset: Lucas Piton holds Italian citizenship. This European passport facilitates a transfer to leagues in the Old Continent, as he would not occupy a foreign player slot, theoretically increasing his market value.

Double trouble on the flank?

The refusal to Beşiktaş also involves squad planning. Vasco is experiencing a delicate moment in the position, as they have already accepted an offer to sell the immediate backup, Leandrinho. The 20-year-old communicated that he did not want to stay and is expected to be announced by Al Sharjah, from the United Arab Emirates, in the coming days.

Selling Piton now, for a low amount, would create a huge gap in the sector. The club would need to urgently hit the market to hire two full-backs (a starter and a backup), since in 2025 the makeshift Puma Rodríguez was the one covering the absences on the left. Therefore, retaining the starter is also a matter of technical survival for the start of the season.

Hope arises for Piton to remain at the Colina – Photo: Leandro Amorim/Vasco

+ Follow Papo na Colina's social media: Thread, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and Google News.

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