WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: FLAMENGO SUFFERS 2ND DEFEAT IN THE WOMEN'S BRASILEIRÃO AGAINST CRUZEIRO

Malcolm is close to ending his stint at Al-Hilal. According to Saudi journalist Ashrq Al-Awsat, the Arab club is considering terminating the striker's contract after an internal crisis that came to light after the team's elimination to Fluminense in the Club World Cup semi-finals. At the time, the Brazilian had a disagreement with the Saudi team's fans, exchanging insults on the way to the locker room.

The video of the confusion circulated on social media and exposed a climate of tension that had already been growing behind the scenes. According to information released by local media, Malcom does not want to continue at Al-Hilal . The board, faced with the tension between the player and the fans, combined with the request from new coach Simone Inzaghi for changes in the squad, is considering ending the million-dollar contract signed with the Brazilian in 2023.

SALARY VALUES GET IN THE WAY OF NEGOTIATIONS

The termination, if finalized, would be the end of the striker's ups and downs in Saudi football, despite the good numbers he has accumulated: 100 games, 39 goals and 30 assists. Flamengo showed interest in Malcom in June of this year, carrying out a formal inquiry. The idea was to seek a strong reinforcement for the offensive sector, and the name of the former Corinthians player gained traction internally. However, it came up against high salaries.

MALCOM MAY LEAVE THE CLUB

According to journalist Jorge Nicola, Malcom receives around R$8 million per month at Al-Hilal, a figure completely out of line with the reality of South American football. Even with the possible termination, Rubro-Negro could only move forward if the player accepted a substantial cut in his salary.

At 28 years old, Malcom is seen as a name capable of raising the technical level of the team led by Filipe Luís . His experience in Europe, with spells at Barcelona and Zenit, puts him at another competitive level.

The last transfer window for Brazilian football in 2025 opens this week (from July 10 to September 2), and Flamengo is moving to sign reinforcements . After signing Irish striker Mikey Johnston, the club is also trying to sign Carrascal. But Dynamo Moscow is playing hardball.

BETWEEN FLAMENGO AND ATHLETE, EVERYTHING IS OK

Flamengo has an agreement with the Colombian midfielder and tried to close the deal before the FIFA Club World Cup, but the board considered that the Russian club wanted to take advantage of the world championship to sell the player for more. Therefore, they treated the deal with caution.

Carrascal reported to the Colombian national team for the games against Peru and Argentina in June's FIFA World Cup and then went on vacation to await the outcome of the negotiations. Flamengo expected to finalize the purchase by last week, so that the midfielder would not even have to return to Russia. However, they have not yet reached an agreement with Dynamo.

VALUES

Flamengo's offer was around 12 million euros (R$76.4 million) in installments, but the Russian club wanted 15 million euros (R$95.5 million) and also required bank guarantees. Carrascal did not reappear with the Dynamo squad and was left out of the first friendlies, which angered the Russian board.

Given the impasse, the midfielder returned to Russia in recent days and was named in the squad for Friday's friendly against Partizan. Carrascal started on the bench and came on in the second half of the 3-1 victory. Dynamo have another friendly scheduled for Tuesday against Akhmat, while the Russian Championship starts on the 20th.

In addition to the impasse over Carrascal, Dynamo also has long-standing dissatisfaction with Flamengo over the loss of Varela. The right-back arrived on loan in 2022 after triggering the "war clause", which allowed players to suspend their contracts with Russian and Ukrainian clubs due to the conflict between the countries.

As the Uruguayan's contract in Russia was coming to an end, the Rubro-Negro team later signed the full-back permanently without having to pay for the transfer. Behind the scenes, Fla argues that the board is no longer the same.

Flamengo continues to monitor the market in search of reinforcements for the second half of the 2025 season. After Gerson's departure, the Rio de Janeiro club is focusing its efforts on signing Jorge Carrascal, Colombian midfielder from Dynamo Moscow (RUS). According to information gathered by Coluna do Fla, the name of Esequiel Barco, from Spartak Moscow, appears only as an alternative to the main negotiation.

According to sources close to the board, the Argentine Barco will only be the target of an attempt by Mengão if the agreement with Carrascal does not materialize . The internal assessment is that signing both athletes simultaneously is out of the question at this time, both for financial and strategic reasons.

NEGOTIATION BY CARRASCAL

Negotiations with Dynamo Moscow are hampered by demands from the Russian club, which wants bank guarantees for the payment of the transfer in installments. The amount requested is 12 million euros, equivalent to approximately R$76 million, divided into three installments.

A possible move for Barco, if necessary, would represent an even greater expense for the club's coffers, since the Argentine has a higher salary and his transfer fee is considered more expensive in the European market. The information was initially released by journalist Venê Casagrande.

FLAMENGO RECEIVES SAO PAULO

While defining the next steps in the transfer market, the red-black squad is preparing for its next challenge on the field. Flamengo faces São Paulo this Saturday (12), at 4:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, for the 13th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match will be broadcast live on Rede Globo.