Soccer
José Boto talks about Fenerbahçe's proposal for Filipe Luís: “Flamengo is not…”
16 Set 2025 | 08:18
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Soccer
24 Jan 2025 | 10:23 |
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With just six years at Flamengo, Bruno Henrique tries to resume in 2025 the protagonismthat he had before the serious injury he suffered. Even without being an absolute starter, the striker is seen as fundamental by coach Filipe Luís and, therefore, has gained non-negotiable status within the club that has become an idol.
BH was the outlier among other athletes who became Fla's idols. Gabigol, Everton Ribeiro, David Luiz and Diego Alves were some names from the last generations who were left without a contract and, when they received an offer, it was well below expectations in terms of longevity.
The attacker renewed his contract for three years at the end of 2023. This way, he still has two more seasons to go. This bond was achieved after a proposal from Palmeiras, which changed the terms of the negotiation and made Fla move so as not to lose its idol to its rival. At the time, Alviverde offered a much larger amount than Bruno agreed to earn to stay.
Now it was Atlético's turn- MG is interested in the player. There was no official proposal on his or Flamengo's table, but an informal survey of the athlete's staff to understand the possibility of taking Bruno Henrique back to Belo Horizonte. Even if he accepted, the offer would not be approved by Fla.
O Flamengo sees the number 27 shirt as very important. Even without being an absolute starter throughout the year, Filipe Luís counts on him, so much so that Bruno only started playing once when he was available to the former full-back. Not even his expulsion in the Copa do Brasil semi-final against Corinthians shook the coach's confidence in him.
Bruno Henrique will also be one of Flamengo's captains in 2025. Gerson remains first in line to wear the sash, but BH is also on the list alongside Arrascaeta and Alex Sandro.
There is also a clearer direction from Filipe in relation to Bruno Henrique’s position. Tite used the striker a lot as a number 9 after Pedro's injury, but the new coach is not a fan of the idea. He understands that the best way for a player to work is on the wing or as a second striker. Therefore, it is not likely that the false 9 will appear again.
"Bruno is not a false 9, he is a deep player, a fast player, attacking space. What I think for him is the ideal open position, as he feels most comfortable. But he did a lot inside 2019, one of his best moments, with two attackers. I'll think about it so he can explore this characteristic of attacking space and finishing on goal," said Filipe Luís.
Midfielder left Mengão after Zenit paid the full termination fee and the director says the situation also delayed the club in the market
16 Set 2025 | 09:30 |
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Flamengo's technical director, José Boto, addressed various topics from the season in a recent interview . Among them was the departure of Gerson, who was transferred to Zenit (RUS) for €25 million. The director explained how the transfer directly impacted the Flamengo market and negotiations for reinforcements.
José Boto on Gerson's departure from Flamengo: "I always had the feeling that Gerson aspired to a higher salary"
According to Boto, after Gerson's sale, the clubs negotiating with Flamengo began demanding tougher terms, such as larger upfront payments and fewer installments. The board, however, maintained its stance.
"There was an additional issue that made negotiations take longer: the sale of Gerson . When clubs know we're receiving €25 million upfront, they start wanting us to pay upfront or with smaller installments . We never wanted to get into that, because it would send a bad signal to the market," Boto told UOL.
This stance meant that the signings took longer to be confirmed, generating criticism from fans and the press . The manager acknowledged his discomfort with the "noise" surrounding the issue due to statements made before the window opened.
"Perhaps I was to blame for this because I said in an interview that negotiations were already underway and we expected to bring in players early. It created unnecessary fuss, and it seemed like everything was wrong . Then, when the players arrived at the right time, without paying more than we should have, the window became one of the best in history."
Despite the initial turbulence, the club closed the biggest transfer window in its history, with R$277 million invested in Samuel Lino, Emerson Royal, Jorge Carrascal and Saúl Ñíguez — the latter signed without transfer fees.
Commenting on Gerson's departure, Boto treated the player's choice matter-of-factly. According to him, there was never a €29 million offer, as was previously reported . The real offer was a fixed €18 million, with unrealistic bonuses.
"I always had the feeling that Gerson aspired to a higher salary, which is natural. It was agreed that he would only leave if they paid him upfront, and that's what happened . It's perfectly normal in football," the director explained. The departure, however, didn't sit well with the fans, who felt the decision diminished the idolization of Gerson, one of the leaders of the red-and-black squad in recent years.
After a day off last Monday, the Mengão squad returns to activities at Ninho do Urubu in preparation for the decisive duel in the competition.
16 Set 2025 | 09:11 |
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Flamengo's squad returned to work on Tuesday morning (16), at Ninho do Urubu, after having a day off on Monday (15) . The activity starts at 9:30 am (Brasília time) and marked the beginning of preparations for the duel against Estudiantes de La Plata (ARG), valid for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores.
The club's communications department announced that goalkeeper Agustín Rossi will be the team's spokesperson for the day . The number 1 will hold a press conference immediately after training, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Ninho do Urubu. You can stay up to date with everything in Gazeta do Urubu.
Last Sunday (14), Flamengo defeated Juventude 2-0 at Alfredo Jaconi Stadium in Caxias do Sul in the Brazilian Championship . Arrascaeta opened the scoring in the first half, while Emerson Royal doubled the lead in the second, both with headers, sealing the victory for Flamengo. With the result, the team broke a nearly 28-year drought without beating Juventude away from home.
The victory took Flamengo to 50 points, maintaining its sole lead in the tournament . "Mais Querido" also bolstered its stats as the best attack (47 goals scored) and best defense (only ten conceded in 22 matches). "Mais Querido" also leads a set of statistics in the Brasileirão.
Now, the focus turns to the Libertadores. Flamengo faces Estudiantes this Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã . The return game, in La Plata, is already scheduled for September 25. The match will be broadcast on ESPN (pay TV) and Disney+ (streaming) throughout Brazil.
The striker was unknown to the general public before his arrival at Sporting and the director of Mengão says that negotiations with this profile are complex
16 Set 2025 | 08:48 |
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Flamengo's football director, José Boto, said on Monday (15) that Brazilian football is not yet prepared to deal with the signing of little-known players . The director used as an example the case of striker Viktor Gyökeres, bought by Sporting (POR) when he was still playing in the English second division and later sold for 70 million euros.
José Boto uses Gyökeres as an example for signings at Flamengo: "this would be impossible"
"Sporting sold Gyökeres this year for €70 million. If I wanted to bring him to Flamengo , no one would say anything. But when Sporting paid €20 million for him in the English second division, that would have been impossible given the reaction I saw to a €5 million signing . We have to be smart enough to adapt to cultural differences and fan bases," Boto explained in an interview with UOL.
The director then reinforced the need for balance in the Rubro-Negro's negotiations: "At a club like Flamengo , with its size, it's necessary to create a mixed market. Players with impressive names and others who, even without much immediate impact, will add technical value and can still generate sporting or financial returns in the future."
Flamengo had agreed to sign striker Michael Johnston from West Bromwich Albion (ENG) for £5 million (approximately R$37 million). The player had already purchased a ticket to Rio de Janeiro, but the deal was canceled.
The club's official version was that the player had physical problems, but intense pressure from the fans played a decisive role. The negative repercussions led the board to definitively end negotiations with Johnston and West Bromwich.
Without Johnston, Flamengo bolstered its squad with more high-profile names. In the same window, Samuel Lino, Jorge Carrascal, Saúl Ñíguez, and Emerson Royal were announced , in addition to other reinforcements signed earlier in the year.
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