FLAMENGO JEWEL GOES TO ARAB FOOTBALL, 18-YEAR-OLD PLAYER IS RELEASED BY THE CLUB - SEE THE VALUES

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.

Mário Jorge spent eight years at in charge of the most diverse youth categories at Flamengo. Between jewels and great memories with titles, the coach experienced the most difficult moment of his career in February 2019, when the accommodation where 10 boys slept caught fire in Ninho do Urubu. He knew nine of them and needed support to move forward. Five years later, he won a Libertadores in the under-20s with one of the survivors, Rayan Lucas.

"It was the most difficult moment of my professional career. I thought about stopping and giving up. What would it be like to go through that place all The days? It wasn't easy, but our psychologists at the time [Duda and Michele] were fantastic, they gave me a lot of support and strength to continue. our 10'. There was a general mobilization and involvement.", said Mário Jorge.

Mário left Flamengo to take over the Saudi Arabian Under-17 team. Not before leaving the last "legacy" behind: the red-and-black's newest jewel is the boy Lorran, used mainly during the Copa América to replace Arrascaeta. His debut for the top team also marked the coach's first game in charge of the professional team, against Audax, in 2023.

"We had many memorable moments, but making Lorran's professional debut was special. It was my debut at Maracanã in the first team. Matheus França scored the goal and asked me to participate in the interview afterwards. Those were some of the memorable moments."

Mário Jorge defended Lorran. and preached patience The boy suffered pressure from the fans after some bad performances, but he has special attention from the committee so as not to feel the good or the bad phase.

"He's a talent, we have to be patient. Many Sometimes expectations are created and moments of instability happen to everyone. He is a fantastic boy, great in everyday life and will mature. Some athletes can do this sooner, others take a little more time. He can reach the highest level, but you need to be patient."

Flamengo tries to repeat the success of the base transition which he had with Mário Jorge now with Filipe Luís. The coach was important within the club's system to monitor and recommend the young people who would train with the professional. The mission was left to the former player, who took over the under-20 team.

"Everyone is important. But on a daily basis we had direct contact with the professional, mainly through Cléber Xavier and Luiz Carlos. Now at the base, with Noval and Gilberto. We had this collaboration to make decisions about which athletes would train professionally, go to the game. The relationship was very good and communication was very clear."

At the professional level, Mário Jorge managed Flamengo on an interim basis on eight occasions. There were three wins, four draws and one defeat. The best moment at the club, however, was winning the U20 Libertadores in March, against Boca Juniors.

"The first time was very difficult. Nervousness, anxiety and worry. Because it was a delicate moment post-Carioca Championship. But I had a lot of support to make decisions. The second time it was a little more 'calm', as there was already contact with the players and we had, between one game and the next, four training sessions. the opportunity to put some of our ideas forward and the games against Bahia and Corinthians were a great moment."