Melou! Athlético-PR gives up hiring former Flamengo player

Called up to the Brazilian national team, Flamengo midfielder Lucas Paquetá has once again attracted interest from European clubs . Cleared of gambling allegations, the Brazilian has resumed his career and is now a target for Tottenham , according to talkSport radio.

TOTTENHAM SEEKS REINFORCEMENT FOR THE MIDFIELD

The London club's interest comes after two recent losses: Eberechi Eze, transferred to Arsenal, and James Maddison, who was injured . Paquetá appears to be an option to bolster the creative department. However, there are conflicting reports in the English media. The Guardian reports that Manchester City, which previously attempted to sign Paquetá, remains interested. Crystal Palace is also keen on the Brazilian midfielder.

WEST HAM CAN PLAY A TOUGH GAME

West Ham, Paquetá's current club, had a difficult start to the Premier League, with two losses and eight goals conceded. In the English League Cup, they lost to Wolves, who finished second to last. Paquetá stands out as the main player on the pitch, but he faces difficulties communicating with his teammates . Therefore, the English board must negotiate cautiously, and is estimated to accept no less than R$220 million for the midfielder's sale.

BRAZILIAN NATIONAL TEAM AS A SHOWCASE

In addition to the English market, Paquetá will have another opportunity to increase his value with the Brazilian national team. After being cleared of match-fixing charges, the former Flamengo player was called up by Carlo Ancelotti for the final two rounds of the World Cup qualifiers .

The midfielder returns to the national team for the first time since November last year, when he came on in the 1-1 draw against Uruguay . He will now face Chile (September 4, at the Maracanã) and Bolivia (September 9, in El Alto), marking his first contact with Ancelotti.

Flamengo invested heavily in this transfer window , bringing in four key reinforcements: Samuel Lino, Emerson Royal, Carrascal, and Saúl. These signings attracted attention in the transfer market, and one of those who spoke out was Ronaldo Fenômeno , a World Cup winner with the Brazilian national team. In an interview with Betfair, the former striker particularly highlighted Samuel Lino and Emerson Royal.

Ronaldo Fenômeno on Flamengo's signings: "a reflection of good management"

"Lino's signing shows that Flamengo is in good financial health, reflecting good management and sales that have a positive impact on the club. He's young and could have gone to several European clubs after leaving Atlético Madrid, but he chose to sign with Flamengo . He'll bring international experience and will make a big difference in the Copa Libertadores and the Brasileirão," he said.

Regarding Emerson Royal, Ronaldo also praised him and projected benefits for the full-back compared to the national team. " He's another player who could have stayed in Europe, but chose to play in Brazil . This could be very good, since he played in the last Copa América and could be closer to Ancelotti's attention in a very important position for Brazil, which is right-back," he added.

SAMUEL LINO SHINES AGAINST VITÓRIA

The hype surrounding the Flamengo's number 16 soon proved justified. In the 8-0 rout of Vitória in the Brazilian Championship, Samuel Lino was one of the night's standout performers . The forward scored two goals and provided three assists, quickly demonstrating the impact he can have on Filipe Luís's squad.

EMERSON ROYAL STILL WAITS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY

Unlike Lino, Emerson Royal did not enter the field at Maracanã last Monday (25). The right-back remained on the bench, following the safe performance of Varela , who assisted one of Samuel Lino's goals.

Even though he hasn't entered the field in the last few matches, the defender is seen internally as an important player for the rest of the season , especially due to the busy schedule with commitments in the Brasileirão, Libertadores and Copa do Brasil.

The Brazilian National Team announced, this Wednesday (27), the cut of Alex Sandro, from Flamengo , for the next commitments of the Fifa Date. The left-back suffered a muscle injury in the left calf during the rout over Vitória , last Monday (25), and will not be able to play.

In an official statement, the CBF confirmed the player's withdrawal and announced that there will be no replacement for the position . Carlo Ancelotti's list already included Douglas Santos (Zenit) and Caio Henrique (Monaco) as options for the left-back position.

JEAN LUCAS IS CALLED UP TO THE NATIONAL TEAM

In the same statement, the CBF announced the call-up of Jean Lucas, a Flamengo talent who currently plays for Bahia. The midfielder replaces Newcastle's Joelinton , who suffered an injury in his last Premier League match.

Therefore, Jean Lucas will be available to Carlo Ancelotti in the National Team's last two matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers: against Chile (September 4, at Maracanã) and against Bolivia (September 9, in El Alto).

ALEX SANDRO SUFFERS AGAIN FROM INJURIES AT FLAMENGO

Signed in August 2024, Alex Sandro performed well for Flamengo, but was unable to escape a series of physical problems . The injury against Vitória was his seventh since joining the club, all of them muscular.

The full-back has already missed 17 matches and has spent 95 days recovering in the medical department. He is also expected to be unavailable next Sunday (31), against Grêmio, in the Brasileirão. Flamengo is working to recover the defender with the decisive duels against Estudiantes in the round of 16 of the Libertadores, on September 18 and 25.