CLAUDINHO ALREADY HAS A DATE TO SAY GOODBYE TO ZENIT AND GO TO FLAMENGO

Flamengo has kept Jorge Jesus as a frequent target since the historic 2019 season. However, bringing him back, currently at Al-Hilal, would not be an easy task, especially due to the coach's high salary, which is among the highest paid in the world.

According to information from journalist Jorge Nicola, the termination fine to remove "Mister" from the Arab club is 40 million reais. Furthermore, it would be necessary to negotiate a new salary, as Jesus currently earns around 70 million reais per year, tax-free, which is equivalent to more than 6 million reais per month. The Portuguese's name resurfaced at Flamengo by candidates for election at the club.

If Flamengo or any other Brazilian club managed to sign him, Jesus would become the highest paid football coach on the continent, surpassing Abel Ferreira, coach from Palmeiras, who receives around 3 million reais per month.

With Tite's situation uncertain to lead Flamengo in 2025, Jorge Jesus' name begins to be mentioned behind the scenes. However, the Brazilian team could also enter the dispute for the coach. Despite the recent arrival of Dorival Júnior at the helm of the national team, there is suspicion within the CBF about the continuity of his work.

Therefore, Jorge Jesus becomes a coveted target for both Flamengo and the Brazilian team, both of whom are aware that they will have to make a considerable investment if they want to rely on the technician.

Since the beginning of the year, competing in all possible competitions, Flamengo has faced a series of problems in the final stretch of the season due to wear and tear. Injuries and the need to save players have caused headaches for Tite, a situation that, according to André Rizek, should not happen.

For the journalist, Flamengo has a squad deep enough to rotate the team. He believes that Tite could have rotated more throughout the season to, at this point, have more players in ideal physical condition. Rizek cited the game against Grêmio as an example, where Mengão, even with a completely modified team, played good football despite the defeat.

“Flamengo has reached a point in the season where the team is so hurt , so tired... It's clear. You see Flamengo play, the team is dead. I would have done the same (save against Grêmio). Yesterday's game (Sunday, 22nd) is a sign that Flamengo could have rotated the squad a little more during the season. Flamengo's C team had a good performance against Grêmio", said the commentator.

Even two-time champion in 2019 and 2020, André Rizek criticized Flamengo for not fighting adequately for the Brasileirão in recent years. He argues that the team has a qualified and abundant squad to compete in both cups and the points championship, but has chosen to focus more on knockout competitions.

“Flamengo, with the squad that There is, it's a team to fight for the Brasileirão title every year and for four years, in this final stretch of the championship, it has been distant. In all these years, Flamengo has dealt with such a great sense of urgency in the cups that the Brazilian Championship is like this... it didn't work”, he assessed.

This season, Flamengo even led the Brasileirão for a few rounds, but stumbles, greatly influenced by the preservation and wear and tear of the players, ended up damaging Rubro-Negro's chances of remaining at the top of the table.

Flamengo was about to close an agreement with Zenit to sign Claudinho, but negotiations did not progress as expected. The Russian club made negotiations difficult, demanding high amounts and prolonging the talks until the end of the transfer window. This situation almost compromised Flamengo's planning for the remainder of the season, especially during the month of August, when the squad needed to be complete to face the challenges of the ongoing competitions.

Despite this setback, Flamengo's management Flamengo managed to overcome the situation efficiently. Instead of insisting on negotiating with Zenit, the club redirected its focus and brought in a player 5 years younger than Claudinho, for a similar amount to what would be paid to the Russian club. This change in strategy ended up proving beneficial for Flamengo, who not only saved money in terms of the player's age and growth potential, but also guaranteed a signing that, in the end, could be more advantageous in the long term.

FLAMENGO HAS A NEW DIRECTION IN NEGOTIATIONS

Although the delay in the transfer window generated concern and almost compromised the team's performance in August, the board managed to reverse the situation in time. The new reinforcement arrives with great expectations and can contribute significantly to the team, especially considering his age and potential.

The experience serves as a learning experience for the Flamengo in future negotiations, showing that insisting on an option is not always the best strategy, and that being prepared for alternatives can bring even better results. In short, Flamengo knew how to transform a complicated situation into an opportunity. Instead of focusing on the difficulties imposed by Zenit, the board acted quickly and found a solution that, apparently, could be even more advantageous for the club in the medium and long term.