Author: Soorya G
Flamengo continue their strong presence in the transfer market and are actively seeking new reinforcements for their squad. After closing deals with Rossi, Luiz Araújo and Allan, the Rubro-Negro have also received the green light for midfielder Claudinho and are preparing a proposal to present to Zenit to complete the signing.
At 26, Claudinho has long been a target for Flamengo, who want to sign him in this transfer window. The club has reached an agreement with the player, including salary conditions, and will soon make an official offer to the Russian side. One of Flamengo’s arguments to convince Claudinho to accept their project is the proximity to the Brazilian national team, since the club is a great stepping stone to the Seleção. The player’s long-standing admiration for the team was an extra arrow in Flamengo’s quiver.
Claudinho, who came up through the youth ranks at Corinthians, has played for several clubs in the São Paulo region of Brazil, including Santo André, Ponte Preta and Oeste. His career then took him to Bragantino, where he excelled and ended up moving to the Russian side.
Zenit are willing to negotiate Claudinho’s transfer, but will demand around 17 to 18 million euros. Flamengo will try to lower the asking price to 16 million euros, but will be fully prepared for intense rounds of negotiations. Zenit is standing firm on its price and won’t lower it any further. Although Flamengo are trying to negotiate, it is hoped that they will be prepared to pay the full amount. Claudinho has been with Zenit since 2021 and has played a total of 60 games. During his time there, he scored 15 goals and provided 14 assists, including the Russian league’s Most Valuable Player award for the 2021/22 season.