Flamengo has ended negotiations for Luiz Henrique due to a financial deadlock, leaving the club without new signings for the Copa Libertadores Round of 16.
Flamengo has confirmed the conclusion of talks to sign forward Luiz Henrique from Zenit, Russia. After weeks of intense discussions, the Rio de Janeiro club and the player’s representatives failed to reach a financial agreement, leading to the termination of negotiations.
The inability to finalize the signing means that the Rubro-Negro will not have new additions for the Conmebol Libertadores Round of 16. This decision directly impacts the coach’s planning for the continental competition’s challenges, leaving fans anticipating future moves in the transfer market.
Disagreement Over Valuations and Financial Ceiling
Negotiations between Flamengo and Zenit were marked by a significant difference in valuations. The Russian club set an asking price of 30 million euros fixed (approximately 175.4 million Brazilian Reais), with an additional 5 million euros (around 29.2 million Brazilian Reais) in bonuses. In contrast, Flamengo initiated discussions with an offer of 20 million euros (approximately 116.9 million Brazilian Reais).
President Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, set a ceiling of 25 million euros (approximately 146.2 million Brazilian Reais) for the acquisition of Luiz Henrique, a limit communicated to José Boto, the football director. Throughout the process, Flamengo‘s board did not present an official offer that exceeded this amount.
Negotiations’ Back-and-Forth
The search for reinforcements was not limited to Luiz Henrique. Flamengo also showed interest in Thiago Almada, a midfielder from Atlanta United (USA). However, the Argentine player ended up signing with River Plate (ARG) after demanding higher wages than the Rio de Janeiro club was willing to pay, despite Atlético de Madrid (ESP) holding a portion of his rights and having a good relationship with them.
With the withdrawal from the pursuit of Almada, the focus shifted entirely to Luiz Henrique. Zenit, despite preferring an upfront payment, showed flexibility regarding installment payments. The player’s own desire to return to Rio de Janeiro was a favorable factor, but it was not enough to seal the deal.
The Official Announcement and Immediate Impact
The final meeting between José Boto and Luiz Henrique‘s agent took place last Friday (July 7) at Ninho do Urubu. On that occasion, the director reiterated that Flamengo would not increase their offer. Consequently, the player’s representatives announced the termination of talks via an official statement:
“Due to a series of events that hindered the progress of the deal, the parties did not reach an agreement at this time.”
It is important to note that Flamengo did not formally submit an offer to the Russian club, as there was no prior verbal alignment regarding the values demanded by Zenit.
Libertadores Without New Additions
With the deadline for player registration for the Copa Libertadores Round of 16 phase having closed at 6 PM (Brasília time) last Friday (July 7), Flamengo will face Cruzeiro on August 12 and 19 with its current squad. The Rubro-Negro team will only be able to add new players to the competition’s roster if they qualify for the quarterfinals.
Despite the setback, the national transfer window remains open until September 11. The board of Mais Querido continues to monitor the market, seeking alternatives to strengthen the squad for the remainder of the season and upcoming challenges. The M360 Team will continue to track the club’s movements. More information can be found on M360.
