More reinforcements? Flamengo president confirms: "The window isn't over yet"

Flamengo officially announced this Friday (29) the definitive purchase of the Gasômetro land, located in the port region of Rio de Janeiro, where the club's long-awaited own stadium will be built. The negotiation, which was stalled by administrative issues , was concluded after direct negotiations with public bodies.

The signing of the agreement was attended by President Luiz Eduardo Baptista and Mayor Eduardo Paes at the City Palace. To mark the occasion, both Mais Querido and the City Hall released an official video on social media announcing the completion of the process.

RIO DE JANEIRO CITY HALL MAKES AGREEMENT

Mayor Eduardo Paes had already sent a letter to the club in August proposing that the municipality undertake the removal of the existing gas pipeline on the land, which belongs to a state concessionaire. The measure was considered crucial to making the project economically viable and enabling the start of the site preparation work.

Flamengo acquired the Gasômetro stadium in July 2023, during Rodolfo Landim's administration, in an auction held after an expropriation conducted by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall. The amount paid was approximately R$138 million . Now, the club has an extended deadline to conduct in-depth technical, economic, and environmental studies, conducted by specialized companies such as FGV, AECOM, and Soloeste Engenharia.

OFFICIAL NOTE REINFORCES COMMITMENT

In a statement released this Friday, the club said: " The Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro announce that Flamengo will retain the Gasômetro land, a measure that was formalized in a term of commitment with the Municipality's consent, this morning, at the Palácio da Cidade. The Club will therefore continue with the feasibility studies and development of the project, an essential step to guarantee its future realization. "

Flamengo announced the sale of Matheus Gonçalves to Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia for €8 million (approximately R$50 million). With the transaction, the club reached R$513 million in sales this season alone , the highest value ever achieved in its transfer market history.

The Matheus Gonçalves deal joins other significant transactions throughout the year. Fabrício Bruno was sold to Cruzeiro for R$44 million, Alcaraz went to Everton for R$96 million, Wesley signed with Roma for R$162.2 million, and Gerson returned to Zenit for R$160.6 million . This performance in the market cemented the club's position as a leading player among Brazilian clubs that raised the most money.

FLAMENGO STANDS OUT

In the national annual revenue ranking, Flamengo ranks highly. If its sales were counted as revenue for an independent club, the R$513 million figure would place "Flamengo Sales" in 10th place overall , surpassing the likes of Grêmio, Vasco, Santos, and Cruzeiro.

The general list is led by Flamengo itself (R$1.334 billion), followed by Palmeiras (R$1.274 billion) and Corinthians (R$1.114 billion) . The top 5 is closed by São Paulo (R$731.9 million) and Botafogo (R$720 million).

MORE EXITS FROM FLAMENGO

Midfielder Victor Hugo, 21, remains one of the names considered for a move away from the team . Santos has expressed interest, but negotiations have stalled and are pending approval from the president. Despite the approval of coach Filipe Luís and director José Boto, the final decision rests with Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap. Alongside him, forwards Michael and Juninho are also awaiting official loan offers and remain on the transfer market's radar.

Flamengo announced this Thursday (28) that there are no more tickets available for the duel against Grêmio , next Sunday (31), for the Brazilian Championship. The expectation is more than 60 thousand fans at Maracanã, a scenario that promises to transform the stadium into a cauldron to push the Rio team in search of another victory in the national competition.

The match is considered crucial for both teams. Mengão, the outright leader with 46 points, is looking to extend its lead over Palmeiras, second with 42, and Cruzeiro , third with 41. Cruzeiro, meanwhile, sees the match as a chance to react and halt the Rio de Janeiro team's momentum.

More than 60,000 tickets were made available, and approximately 65,000 people are expected to attend Maracanã, including free tickets. Tickets ranged from R$80 in the South section to R$500 in Maracanã Mais. All tickets were sold five days in advance.

LAST GAME AT MARACANÃ

The last time the team played at the stadium was in the 8-0 rout of Vitória , on a Monday night. Even at the unusual time, more than 60,000 fans showed up to support the team.

FLAMENGO'S PROBABLE LINEUP

Flamengo 's likely starting lineup is expected to retain the same core from the last game. Thus, Filipe Luís is expected to field: Rossi, Varela, Léo Pereira, Léo Ortiz, Ayrton Lucas, Jorginho, Saúl, Arrascaeta, Plata, Samuel Lino, and Pedro.