BEHIND THE SCENES: FLAMENGO'S PHYSICAL TRAINER ALERTS THE TEAM BEFORE THE GAME AGAINST ATLÉTICO-GO AND HIGHLIGHTS: "THERE ARE 38 FINALS..."

Tottenham, Crystal Palace, and Manchester City are monitoring the situation of Lucas Paquetá, a West Ham standout and highly valued player in English football. The move comes shortly after the player was acquitted of misconduct charges involving sports betting.

The London club, however, has no intention of facilitating the midfielder's departure and has set a price of £60 to £70 million to release him . This figure is considered out of reach for most clubs at the moment, which could hinder any concrete approach.

OFFER TO RUBRO-NEGRO WAS MADE

At the start of the current season, Paquetá was offered a transfer to Flamengo through his representatives. At the time, West Ham was asking for around £30 million, but negotiations stalled due to the ongoing legal process . Today, the situation is different, as the player has established himself as one of the key players in the English squad.

A possible return to Rio de Janeiro football could have been considered in a different context, but the club has already strengthened its squad with Samuel Lino, Samu, and Emerson Royal, which reduces the immediate need to invest in another midfielder . Even so, it's not ruled out that there may be room for a rapprochement at some point in the future.

PAQUETÁ MAINTAINS IDENTIFICATION WITH FLA

Despite the obstacles, the desire of both parties remains alive. Paquetá has expressed his affection and desire to wear the red-and-black jersey again on other occasions , while the club also dreams of having the athlete back. For now, it's a distant possibility, but not ruled out.

Flamengo has resumed negotiations with midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta to extend his contract, currently valid until December 2026. The club intends to secure the continued presence of one of the squad's most decisive players , a key player in recent successes. The initial information was released by the GE website.

In initial talks, Arrascaeta expressed a desire for financial advancement and a contract until the end of 2028 , with the possibility of adjustments to the contract duration. Meanwhile, Rubro-Negro proposed extending the agreement for just one more season, until 2027, along with a salary adjustment.

The process, which was interrupted, surprised the Uruguayan. Internally, the board had planned to resolve the number 10's future immediately after his participation in the Club World Cup, but the way the negotiations were conducted prevented a quick conclusion . Some behind the scenes believe that the new management does not intend to make any major efforts to retain the player after his current contract expires.

ARRASCAETA EXCEEDS 300 GAMES

Since arriving in 2019, Arrascaeta has played over 300 matches for the red-and-black team, becoming a technical reference for the Mais Querido . During this time, he won 18 titles, including two Copa Libertadores and two Copa do Brasil , and played a decisive role in several historic campaigns.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

With Arrascaeta available, Flamengo arrives in high spirits for the 22nd round of the Brasileirão . After the impressive 8-0 victory against Vitória, at Maracanã, the team led by Filipe Luís returns to the field against Grêmio, next Sunday (30).

At Flamengo since 2019, executive director Bruno Spindel is leaving the club after seven years of service. His departure was announced this Friday (29) by the Coluna do Fla portal and confirmed by a source linked to the red-black top management.

Spindel began his career in the football department, a position he held from 2019 to 2024. In recent months, however, he has been occupying more discreet roles within the management led by Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap.

MANAGER HAD A SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE

During his time at the club, Bruno Spindel worked closely with Marcos Braz and directly contributed to the formation of one of the most successful squads in Mengão's recent history. During this period, the team won 13 trophies: four Campeonato Carioca titles, two Copa do Brasil titles, two Brasileirões titles, two Libertadores titles, two Supercopas do Brasil titles, and one Recopa Sudamericana title.

Before taking over the football department, Spindel had already headed the Marketing department under Eduardo Bandeira de Mello, transitioning to the sports department with the arrival of Rodolfo Landim as president. In early 2024, the director received inquiries from clubs such as Atlético-MG, Santos, and even rival Vasco da Gama , but chose to remain at Flamengo . To date, the club has not provided an official reason for his departure.

ABOUT THAT...

While the board is undergoing changes, on the field the team led by Filipe Luís continues in great form. After the 8-0 thrashing of Vitória at Maracanã, Mengão returns to the field this Sunday (30), against Grêmio, for the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship.