FLAMENGO HIRES YOUNG STAR FROM BAHIA

Internacional's youth teams have a new manager, and he's an old acquaintance of Flamengo. Mário Jorge, the 2023 U-20 Libertadores champion for Rubro-Negro, was announced by the Rio Grande do Sul club and was introduced last Monday (25), in Porto Alegre.

The coach had been free on the market since August 11, when he ended his brief stint in Saudi Arabian football , where he managed the under-17 team. Thus, the period of inactivity lasted less than a month.

Leaving Flamengo changed Filipe Luís's path

Mário Jorge's departure from Flamengo paved the way for Filipe Luís's rise . The former full-back, who had been in charge of the Flamengo U-17s, took over the Flamengo U-20s at the Club World Cup. Playing a key role, he led the team to a comeback against Olympiacos (GRE) and won the competition for the first time.

International success boosted the board's confidence in Filipe Luís , who was soon promoted to the first team. After Tite's dismissal, the former player took over the first team and quickly won the Copa do Brasil, eliminating Corinthians and defeating Atlético-MG at the MRV Arena.

REUNION WITH FLAMENGO ON THE HORIZON?

There's a chance Mário Jorge will soon be reunited with Flamengo . The CBF's schedule includes the U-20 Brazil Cup, a competition whose matchups have yet to be determined . If the clubs cross paths, the coach could face the very team with which he experienced one of the most memorable moments of his career.

A Libertadores and U-20 World Cup winner with Flamengo in 2024, 19-year-old right-back Lucyan has been announced as São Paulo's new signing . He had transferred to Bahia in March of this year but was released in August for disciplinary reasons.

With the agreement with São Paulo, Flamengo loses the 30% of the economic rights it had retained in the negotiations with the Bahia club. The information was released by journalist Venê Casagrande. Lucyan signed a contract valid until June 30, 2028, with São Paulo , with a release clause of 80 million euros (approximately R$506 million at the current exchange rate).

HOW THE NEGOTIATION WENT

With no room at Flamengo , the full-back had signed with Bahia until December 2027, in a deal at no cost to the Bahia club, but which kept 30% of his rights tied to the Rubro-Negro. The fine, at the time, had been set at 100 million euros (R$600 million).

The stint, however, was short-lived. In August, Bahia issued an official statement confirming the termination: " Esporte Clube Bahia SAF announces the release of right-back Lucyan . The U-20 player joined the club in March 2025 and played 16 matches for the Pivetes de Aço."

PASSAGE THROUGH FLAMENGO

A Flamengo youth product since the U-15s, Lucyan excelled in 2024, starting in the final stretch of the Copa Libertadores, including the final against Boca Juniors (ARG) . At the U-20 World Cup, he served as a reserve for Filipe Luís's team, which defeated Olympiacos (GRE) in the final. The full-back left Flamengo at the beginning of this season, when he was released by Bahia.

Volta Redonda is closely monitoring the development of defender Iago , a Flamengo alumnus who is now one of the most promising youngsters in the club's youth academy. Volta Redonda discovered the defender while still in the U-15s and retains 40% of his economic rights , while Flamengo holds the majority.

The contract stipulates that the Gávea club can acquire an additional 10% of the rights for R$500,000. The board is considering exercising this option , a move seen as strategic, as the youngster is expected to gain even more prominence in the coming years.

PROMISE OF THE RUBRO-NEGRA BASE

Even in his final year of the U-20 season, Iago is already attracting attention for his performance. He's under contract with Flamengo until December 2026, which guarantees the club contract security . The player's appreciation is raising expectations for both Flamengo and Voltaço, who hope to profit in the future from a potential deal.

IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS IN THE SEASON

In 2025, Iago had made 29 appearances for the U-20 team, playing 2,546 minutes, scoring seven goals, and providing one assist—rare numbers for a defender . In the U-20 Libertadores, he was the team's top scorer, scoring four goals.

In the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, he played 16 games, scoring four goals and providing one assist . For the Brazilian Under-20 National Team, he appeared in six South American matches, starting five, scoring two goals.

HIGHLIGHT IN STATISTICS

According to Sofascore, Iago finished the South American U-20 Championship with an average of 7.28 points per game . He made 41 defensive actions, won 20 of 31 duels (65%), and had outstanding aerial performance, winning 16 of 20 duels (80%). Considered one of the best talents in the youth academy, Iago is already generating expectations to join Flamengo's professional squad soon.