Bap praises Botafogo’s Danilo but remains cautious regarding a potential move to Flamengo

By:Paulo PiresTransfers10/07/2026at 12:31

Amid the transfer market buzz, president Luiz Eduardo Baptista clarifies Flamengo‘s strategy and evaluates rumored targets, such as Botafogo midfielder Danilo.

Flamengo is adopting a completely composed stance during this transfer window. In an interview with journalist Venê Casagrande on Thursday (July 9), president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, detailed the club’s philosophy in the search for new signings. For the executive, the current squad is robust enough to avoid desperate measures, refuting pressure for immediate additions.

The director made a point of emphasizing that management is focused on quality, not quantity. According to Bap, Flamengo is looking for players who truly elevate the group’s level, comparing the transfer strategy to choosing essential priorities, where the primary target should not be replaced by accessible opportunities that do not address the squad’s actual needs.

Market strategy and the example of high-profile signings

To justify the patience in negotiations, the president cited the club’s recent history of successful signings. Names like Gerson, Pedro, and Lucas Paquetá were pointed out as examples that high-impact operations require time, technical analysis, and the right moment.

“We don’t want ‘a’ player for certain positions; we want ‘the’ player. And when you want that player, it takes more time. It wasn’t a case of, ‘I want Paquetá, I don’t have Paquetá, so I’ll just bring in any other guy,'” the executive explained.

Speculation regarding Danilo

One of the topics that dominated the discussion was the club’s potential interest in midfielder Danilo, a standout for Botafogo and a regular call-up for the Brazil national team. With good humor, Bap avoided confirming any negotiations, although he did offer glowing praise for the midfielder.

By describing the player as a “black trousers” type—a metaphor for something indispensable in a wardrobe—the president made it clear that while his technical level is undeniable, any signing must meet specific tactical criteria set by the coaching staff. For now, Flamengo maintains its usual caution, focusing on precise choices that guarantee the squad’s competitiveness for the season’s challenges, without giving in to external expectations for quick signings.