Goiás has taken a hardline stance in negotiations, rejecting a loan deal for Diego Caito to Grêmio. The club is now demanding that his full buyout clause be met to release the player.
Activity behind the scenes in the transfer market remains intense for Grêmio. After attempting to secure right-back Diego Caito on a loan deal, the Tricolor was rebuffed by Goiás. The club from central Brazil, fully aware of the 22-year-old’s potential, has decided they will only entertain a permanent transfer.
A multi-million dollar demand for the player
The Goiás board has adopted a rigid position regarding the future of Caito, who is under contract until 2028. Although the full-back’s estimated market value is around R$ 10 million, Goiás is not looking to make his departure easy and has set his national release clause as the benchmark for any approach: an amount close to R$ 100 million.
Beyond the high figures, the current scenario rules out any attempt by Grêmio to include other players in a potential swap deal to reduce the cost of the transfer.
Next steps for the Tricolor
Given this landscape, Grêmio’s leadership is carefully evaluating whether to move forward with a formal purchase offer or look for alternative targets in the market to bolster the right-back position. The club from Rio Grande do Sul is monitoring other options, aware that the demands from Goiás make the operation complex.
It is worth noting that despite speculation involving interest from Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia, Goiás claims that, so far, Grêmio is the only club to have made an official inquiry for the player. Diego Caito, who has been playing professionally since 2024, has made 78 appearances, recording three goals and six assists in his career. In the current season, the full-back has already played 25 games, with two goals scored and three assists, numbers that justify the high valuation set by the Goiás side.