Vasco's striker reveals tactic to beat Flamengo in the Carioca Championship

Targeted by Flamengo for part of the 2025 season , Noah Okafor already has a new destination. This Thursday (21), the 25-year-old Swiss striker was officially announced by Leeds United , champion of the last edition of the Championship and back in the Premier League.

Flamengo was considering signing a more mobile striker with different characteristics than Pedro , and Okafor was one of the names considered. However, Milan's request was considered high, which forced the Flamengo board to back down in the negotiations.

Noah Okafor, former Flamengo target: "I always dreamed of playing in the Premier League"

Leeds has already reached an agreement with the Italian side, shelling out €19 million (approximately R$121 million) to complete the purchase. The player signed a contract until June 2029: " The coach called me and said he wanted me . I felt confident, talked to my family, and realized I had to accept. I've always dreamed of playing in the Premier League, and it's a dream come true. I'm ready for this new challenge," Okafor declared after the announcement.

Interestingly, the striker faced Leeds shortly before the deal. During preseason, while still with Milan, he started a friendly against the English side in Ireland, which ended in a 1-1 draw . On that occasion, Okafor played the full 90 minutes.

FLAMENGO TRIED, BUT NEGOTIATIONS DID NOT PROGRESS

Flamengo sought alternatives to reduce Milan's asking price, but was unsuccessful. Meanwhile, other clubs emerged as interested, including John Textor's Botafogo , which considered investing heavily. However, negotiations only progressed with Leeds.

OKAFOR'S CAREER

A product of Basel in Switzerland, Okafor rose to prominence with Red Bull Salzburg, where he played 110 matches and scored 34 goals in four seasons. His performance earned him a transfer to Milan in 2023/24, but the striker failed to establish himself . After a low-key spell, including a loan spell at Napoli, where he played only four times, he is now seeking greater regularity in the Premier League.

Internacional president Alessandro Barcelos decided to discuss finances shortly after the team's elimination to Flamengo in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. Following the 2-0 loss at Beira-Rio Stadium, the director complained about the disparity in investment between the clubs in recent transfer windows.

Internacional President: "Flamengo invested R$277 million in this window compared to just R$27 million from Inter. That's 10 times more!"

"Some things would have been better if we had won, because they can't be used as excuses. But this debate needs to be deepened in Brazilian football . Flamengo invested R$277 million this window, compared to just R$27 million for Inter. That's ten times more! And, adding up the last four windows, they've reached R$600 million," Barcelos noted.

Despite the rhetoric, the president himself acknowledged that the issue doesn't justify Colorado's drop in performance: "This is new in Brazilian football, and we need to understand it better. The gap is becoming so wide that it's reflected on the field, in the quality of the squads . It's not an excuse, but an issue that needs to be addressed to maintain competitiveness," he added.

INTER HAS NOT YET PAID FOR THIAGO MAIA

The discrepancy in the accounts could be even greater. This is because Internacional hasn't even paid off the purchase of Thiago Maia, made at the beginning of last year. The Rio Grande do Sul club committed to paying €4 million (approximately R$24.1 million) , but Flamengo has yet to receive the payment. The charge has already been formalized with the CBF's CNRD.

The situation became even more controversial when Inter attempted to negotiate Thiago Maia with Santos for a higher fee , even though the transfer had not been paid off. Outraged, Flamengo blocked the transfer. Meanwhile, the Rio Grande do Sul club invested heavily in players like Carbonero and Alan Rodríguez, fueling criticism.

COLORADO CRYING AFTER NEW DEFEATS

In addition to the elimination, Internacional has a bitter history against Flamengo in 2025. They have suffered three consecutive defeats: 1-0 and 2-0 in the Libertadores and 3-1 in the Brasileirão. A 6-1 aggregate defeat for Internacional, which increases the pressure on Barcelos' management . Now, Inter must "pick up the pieces" and, who knows, find the resources to finally pay off the debt owed to Flamengo for Thiago Maia.

Alex Sandro is one of Flamengo's most experienced players. The left-back, formerly of Juventus and Porto, arrived at the club in 2024 and quickly established himself as a starter on the left , despite fierce competition with Viña and Ayrton Lucas .

SAUDI PROPOSALS

This year, the athlete attracted interest from the Saudi Arabian market, receiving two offers from Al-Ahli, the team of former Manchester City striker Mahrez . The offers offered up to three times Alex Sandro's current salary. Information about the interest was revealed by journalist Jorge Nicola, but the full-back chose to decline the offers and remain at Flamengo .

FILIPE LUÍS' TRUST

Alex Sandro is one of Filipe Luís 's most trusted men, and he relies heavily on him. The red-and-black squad has three options for left-back : Alex Sandro, Ayrton Lucas, and Matías Viña. While a full-back is expected to be traded next year, the number 26 is unlikely to be chosen, and the final decision is expected at the end of the season.

The player was signed during Rodolfo Landim's administration, with Marcos Braz in charge. Fans appreciate the full-back's confident and focused style of play , which rarely drops in performance and consistently performs throughout the season.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

With Alex Sandro available, Flamengo is preparing to host Vitória in the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship. The duel between the red-blacks will be this Monday (25) at 9 pm (Brasília time). Mengão is the leader of the competition with 43 points , while Leão is in 17th place, the first team in the relegation zone, with 19 points.