It's happening! Flamengo confirms purchase of land in Gasômetro to build its own stadium.

Midfielder Gustavo Cuéllar is expected to start for Grêmio in the match against Flamengo this Sunday (31), at 4 pm (Brasília time), for the Brazilian Championship. Before the reunion at Maracanã, the Colombian player returned to comment on the episodes that marked his departure from Rubro-Negro in 2019.

During an interview with the program Assado Para... on Duda Garbi's Channel, Cuéllar revealed details of the turbulent time he experienced five years ago. " It wasn't a pleasant departure at the time. It was turbulent. They even took me off before the match against Internacional (in the Libertadores quarterfinals), and I was out for a few days, without even training. It was difficult," said the midfielder.

BOARD BLOCKED NEGOTIATION

The player stated that his initial desire was to play for Bologna in Italy, but the Mais Querido management vetoed the transfer. " Marcos Braz presented me with the offer from Saudi Arabia, and it was the financial solution for my life and my family. In the middle of this negotiation, which I had already accepted, an offer arrived from Bologna in Italy. The amount was lower, but I had the dream of playing in Europe. And Flamengo didn't accept it," said the Colombian.

CUÉLLAR REVEALS THAT HE FELT USED

After being sidelined for almost 20 days, Cuéllar said he was called up again to play in the second leg against Internacional, in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Libertadores. “I wanted to go to Italy, but Flamengo denied it and took me away,” he said before adding.

"The Arabs even increased their offer, and since I was away, I ended up accepting. I didn't train for 20 days; I couldn't go to the club. Then, in the second game against Inter in the Libertadores, Flamengo asked me to play, saying I could leave later. I felt used ," he declared.

Flamengo confirmed this Friday (29) the definitive purchase of the Gasômetro land , located in the port region of Rio de Janeiro, where it intends to build its own stadium. During the announcement, president Luiz Eduardo Baptista took the opportunity to reassure fans and left open the possibility of more reinforcements in this transfer window.

" Nation, let's go for more, because the window isn't over yet, " the director said in a video posted on the club's social media . The statement generated a lot of attention among fans, who began speculating about potential signings until the 11th, the transfer window deadline. Among the most talked-about rumors, striker Marcos Leonardo was the most mentioned.

LAND ACQUISITION IS CONFIRMED

The agreement signing took place at the City Palace and was attended by the club's president and Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes . The announcement video was released on the club's and City Hall's digital platforms, marking the official completion of the purchase.

The Gasômetro land was acquired at auction on July 31, 2023, under the administration of Rodolfo Landim, for approximately R$138 million . The area underwent an expropriation process conducted by the municipality before being auctioned.

CITY HALL MAKES AGREEMENT WITH FLAMENGO

Last month , Mayor Eduardo Paes sent a letter to the club proposing that the City Council undertake the removal of the existing gas pipeline infrastructure on the property . According to him, the measure aims to "make the project economically viable," allowing impact and development studies to move forward unhindered.

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.