Close to reinforcing Flamengo, Irishman Michael Johnston could make history - understand

With the transfer window set to open on July 10 , Flamengo has started to speed up its moves to strengthen its squad. Among the names recently mentioned was Rodrigo de Paul, World Cup champion with Argentina and currently at Atlético de Madrid. The possibility, however, is being treated internally as a mere market opportunity, with no advanced talks taking place.

FLAMENGO WATCHES FROM AWAY

According to Spanish journalist Marcos Durán, the Spanish club would be willing to negotiate the player for 15 million euros, a value close to R$96 million at the current exchange rate. Despite this, Flamengo has not initiated formal negotiations with Atlético de Madrid or the player's staff. Rodrigo de Paul has already been under observation by Flamengo in other windows, especially due to his technical profile and international experience.

However, the club's current financial and strategic situation means that investing in a defensive midfielder of this caliber must be evaluated with caution. So far, there is no sign of a formal proposal or negotiations underway. In addition, the Argentine defensive midfielder is also attracting interest from Inter Miami, from the United States, which already has Messi and other names from the 2022 World Cup-winning team.

DE PAUL WOULD BE A NEW INVESTIGATION

The MLS club could offer the player a long-term project and the chance to play alongside his compatriots on American soil. Despite the possibility of him leaving, coach Diego Simeone still considers Rodrigo de Paul an important part of the Colchonero squad.

The Argentine has a contract with Atlético until 2026 and was a starter for much of last season. Even so, the club has not ruled out negotiations, as long as the financial proposal is considered advantageous. This openness to negotiation is what motivates intermediaries to offer the player to clubs in South America, such as Flamengo, and North America, such as Inter Miami.

Flamengo is very close to officially signing Irish striker Mikey Johnston, 26. The player belongs to West Bromwich in England, and his arrival at the Rio de Janeiro club is expected to cost around five million pounds — approximately R$37 million at the current exchange rate. The move is a strong indication that changes will be made to the squad for the rest of the season.

The advanced negotiations are taking place at a time of uncertainty regarding the future of important players in the red-black attack, such as Michael and Everton Cebolinha. Michael has been attracting interest from Al Duhail, from Qatar, since before the Club World Cup. Cebolinha, who has lost his place under coach Filipe Luís, has not yet received official proposals , but could be negotiated if interesting offers arise from a financial point of view.

JOHNSTON'S ARRIVAL

Mikey Johnston is a striker who plays mainly on the left flank, but has the versatility to play on the right flank as well. A Celtic youth product, the Irishman scored four goals in 20 appearances for West Bromwich in the last season's Championship , the second tier of English football. For the Irish national team, he has three goals in 11 games.

Flamengo 's coaching staff and football board approved the signing, which is expected to be made official in the coming days. With Johnston's arrival, the competition for positions on the wings increases, a sector that already has names such as Bruno Henrique, Luiz Araújo and Gonzalo Plata — in addition to the aforementioned Michael and Cebolinha.

FLAMENGO PLANS MORE REINFORCEMENTS

The move for Mikey Johnston is part of a broader plan by the club's board , which also intends to announce at least two more signings in the current transfer window: a fast winger and a midfielder with a creative profile. The changes aim to give coach Filipe Luís more options and prepare the squad for the decisive matches in the calendar.

The reception given to Vinição in Germany went beyond the traditional announcement on social media. Wolfsburg published an institutional article on its official website, aimed at fans, introducing the Brazilian midfielder in great detail. Among the highlighted information is the nickname "Mister Consistency", given to the player during his time in England.

FANS HAVE AN ENIGMATIC MORALITY

The nickname was a recognition of the consistency and reliability that the athlete demonstrated throughout the last season. In the published text, Wolfsburg explained the reasons that led to the signing of the Brazilian. His performance at Sheffield United was decisive, mainly due to the defensive statistics that placed Vinição as one of the team's main players.

ARRIVAL WITH MORALE AT THE GERMAN CLUB

According to the German club, Vini Souza recovered an average of five balls per match and had a 60% winning rate. In addition, he recorded 3.16 tackles per game, showing a high level of defensive efficiency. Another highlight in Wolfsburg's analysis was the leadership role that the Brazilian played at Sheffield United. During the 2024/2025 season, Vinição even wore the team's captain's armband in some matches.

The club will be looking back at the 1-0 win over Derby County on 21 September 2024, when the player took on the captain's armband for the first time. At the time, manager Chris Wilder highlighted the player's attitude and preparation in pre-season, which earned him the position.

Wolfsburg 's analysis also highlights the former Flamengo player's tactical profile. The club classifies Vinição as a player with excellent game reading and mastery of defensive fundamentals, in addition to highlighting his ability to contribute to the construction of plays.