FLAMENGO TAKES THE FIELD AGAINST MADUREIRA WITH PURPOSES BEYOND THE GUANABARA CUP TITLE

With the final stretch of the 2024 season approaching, Flamengo faces an important challenge after the injury to Pedro, who suffered a ruptured ligament in his left knee. The club's vice-president of football, Marcos Braz, stated in an interview with "Fla TV" that he will discuss with coach Tite and his committee the possibility of seeking a new reinforcement to make up for the striker's absence.

The Flamengo see you next time Tuesday (stipulated deadline) to regularize any player who may play for the team this season. However, the options available are limited, as only athletes without a contract can be signed outside the transfer window. Braz highlighted the difficulties in finding suitable names on the market.

"The window is practically over, and the restrictions are enormous in making a signing at this time. After the window closes, it is only possible to sign players who were already without a contract before closing. This greatly reduces the options", explained the manager.

Despite speculation about possible hiring, Marcos Braz highlighted that The red and black squad already has alternatives for the position. Flamengo has, in addition to Gabigol, who must take responsibility in the attack, other players who can perform the role, such as Carlinhos and Bruno Henrique, who can also be improvised as a center forward.

"We have three players who can play in this position. Gabigol has always solved our problems, we have Carlinhos and Bruno Henrique, who can play the role of 9. We will analyze calmly until Tuesday and decide what is best for Flamengo", concluded Braz.

Pedro's injury was a hard blow for the team, not only because of the impact on performance on the field, but also because of what it means behind the scenes. With a deep and talented cast, Flamengo tends to maintain its competitive level even with absences, thanks to a full bench. However, Pedro's departure raises the question of how the club will fill this gap.

Rumors about possible international reinforcements began to circulate quickly, with names like Memphis Depay, Martial and Mariano Díaz gaining prominence in the press. However, Flamengo's board is taking a cautious approach. According to information from UOL, two main factors are guiding the club's strategy: the performance of the players already available and the budget situation.

Firstly, Flamengo is evaluating the ability of its current players to cover Pedro's absence. Among the possible replacements, Gabigol, Bruno Henrique and Carlinhos are mentioned as viable options. These players have a history of good performance and familiarity with the style of play Flamengo, which could facilitate adaptation and minimize the impact of Pedro's injury.

In addition, the club's financial situation is a crucial point in the decision. With more than R$329 million invested in recent signings, Flamengo has already committed a significant part of its budget. This amount is just a little below the R$360.9 million spent in 2019, when President Rodolfo Landim made large investments. The high financial burden of previous signings implies a more restrictive management of available resources.

Flamengo's board also faces difficulties in relation to the sale of players, which further impacts the budget. Negotiations for transfers of Wesley and Fabrício Bruno did not progress as expected, resulting in a lower than desired performance in player sales. This limits the club's ability to invest in new reinforcements, especially in a competitive market.

Speculated as a possible reinforcement of Flamengo to fill the gap left by Pedro, striker Anthony Martial is free on the market, but has not played since December 9, 2023. On that occasion, Manchester United, his former club, entered the field to face Bournemouth and lost 3-0 in the Premier League. Martial was a starter and played for 56 minutes.

At the beginning of the year, the French striker suffered a groin injury that required surgery. Therefore, he was away for around 42 days, only returning in March. Even though there were three months left on his contract, Manchester United chose to let go of the player. Since then, Martial has been evaluating his next club and Flamengo is paying attention to his movements.