Tag Archives: Cruzeiro

Transfer Talks Progressing Between Barcelona & Athletico Paranaense for Vitor Roque

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Vitor Roque may be headed to Europe soon…

Talks between Barcelona and Brazil’s Athletico Paranaense over the transfer of the 18-year-old Brazilian forward are progressing well, according to ESPN.

Vitor Roque,Barca are in the market for a backup striker to Robert Lewandowski and have turned their attention to Roque, with new sporting director Deco leading the negotiations.

Roque is the club’s first option because as well as helping take some of the load off Lewandowski this season, he is also viewed as a player who could one day replace the Poland international, who will turn 35 years old in August.

Reports in Spain suggested over the weekend that Barca have reached an agreement with Athletico Paranaense worth a potential €45 million including add-ons.

Sources close negotiations did not to confirm an agreement to ESPN but did say that talks are advancing and there is optimism a deal will be concluded this summer.

However, agreeing a fee with Athletico Paranaense is only part of the puzzle, sources added, with Barca also needing to free up salary space and room in their squad before committing to signings.

Due to LaLiga‘s financial restrictions, the Catalan club can only spend 40% of anything they save or generate on bringing in new players.

Therefore, they are not in a position to register new signings until they free up some salary space or bring in transfer fees for any outgoing squad members.

It’s for that reason Lionel Messi, who coach Xavi Hernandez had repeatedly stated a desire to sign, confirmed his intention to join Inter Miami, saying he could not wait for Barca to sort their financial issues.

Sources say Barca would also like to lighten the load in attack before signing another forward, with Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha, Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres competing for two positions since Xavi‘s switch to a midfield four.

Roque, who has already been capped by the Brazil senior side, is one of the highest-rated youngsters coming through in the South American country.

After starting his career in America Mineiro‘s youth setup, Roque joined Cruzeiro in 2021, making the move to Athletico Paranaense the following year in a transfer worth around €4.5m.

He has already made over 50 appearances for the Brazilian Serie A side, scoring 16 goals and helping them reach the Copa Libertadores final last year and win the Campeonato Paranaense this year.

Joao Mendes de Assis Moreira Signs Permanent Contract with Barcelona’s Under-19 Team

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Joao Mendes de Assis Moreira is making things permanent…

The 18-year-old Brazilian footballer, the son of former Brazil forward Ronaldinho, has signed a permanent contract with Barcelona‘s under-19 team, the Catalan club has announced.

Joao Mendes de Assis MoreiraMendes had been training with Barca‘s Juvenil A side, pending a decision on whether to hand him a deal.

Following a successful trial, Barca have now taken up an option to extend Mendes’ stay. He signed a contract on Thursday alongside academy director Jose Ramon Alexanco.

Mendes’ contract will reportedly run until summer next year, when the forward would exit the U19 age bracket. Sources added the club will assess whether to offer an extended deal after his initial contract expires.

The teenager had been playing for Cruzeiro since he was 14 but rescinded his contract with the Brazilian side at the end of last year.

He is a left-footed forward who can play across the front line, with his career being overseen by his uncle, Roberto de Assis Moreira, who also played an active role in Ronaldinho’s playing career.

Mendes’ move to Barcelona will allow Ronaldinho to spend more time back in the city where he spent five years as a player, from 2003-08.

Ronaldinho, 42, has already been in Barcelona while his son has been on trial at Camp Nou and he turned out in Gerard Pique‘s Kings League last weekend.

The 2002 World Cup winner played for Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos‘ team in the seven-a-side competition, but could not stop them falling to a penalty shootout defeat.

During his time as a Barca player, Ronaldinho scored 94 goals in 207 appearances for the club, helping them win the Champions League in 2006 and two LaLiga titles.

Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan are among his other former sides in Europe, while he played for Gremio, Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro and Fluminense in Brazil and for Queretaro in Mexico. He retired as a player in 2015.

Joao Mendes de Assis Moreira On Trial with Barcelona’s U19 Team

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Joao Mendes de Assis Moreira is one step close to following in his father’s footsteps…

The 17-year-old Brazilian soccer player, the son of former Brazil forward Ronaldinho, is currently on trial with Barcelona‘s U19 team, according to ESPN.

Joao Mendes de Assis MoreiraMendes is training with Barca‘s Juvenil A side pending a decision on whether to hand him a permanent contract.

The teenager has been playing for Cruzeiro since he was 14 but recently rescinded his contract with the Brazilian side.

Mendes, who has been joined in Barcelona by several members of his family, is a left-footed forward who can play across the front line.

His career is currently being overseen by his uncle, Roberto de Assis Moreira, who also played an active role in Ronaldinho’s playing career.

The source asked for “patience,” explaining that there is no rush to take a decision and that it needs to be remembered that it takes time to adapt to a new country coming over from South America.

Ronaldinho spent five years at Camp Nou between 2003 and 2008 and his time at the club is remembered fondly in the city.

He scored 94 goals in 207 appearances for Barca, helping them win the Champions League in 2006 and two LaLiga titles.

Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan are among his other former clubs, while he was also a World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002. He retired as a player in 2015.

His son is now training with Barca’s U19 team, who are coached by Oscar Lopez and assistant Javier Saviola, the former Argentina striker who played alongside Ronaldinho.

Ronaldo Buys Controlling Stake in His Former ‘Cruzeiro’ Club

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Ronaldo is official a club owner…

The 45-year-old Brazilian retired soccer player, who played for Real Madrid and Brazil’s national team, has bought a controlling stake in his former club Cruzeiro.

Ronaldo Ronaldo, who played for Cruzeiro as a teenager in the early 1990s before going on to become one of the most successful center forwards in soccer history, finalized the deal with the help of Brazilian investment bank XP.

The transaction, which was done through Ronaldo’s Tara Sports company and is still subject to what the bank called “a series of conditions,” sees Ronaldo invest 400 million reais ($70 million) in the Belo Horizonte club, which has spent two years in Brazil’s second division.

“I am so happy to have concluded this operation,” Ronaldo said in a video posted by the Cruzeiro president, adding, while holding one of the club’s blue shirts, that he wants to “give back to Cruzeiro and take them where they deserve to be.”

“We have a lot of hard to work to do. There’s nothing to celebrate yet but we bring a lot of hard work and the ambition to make Cruzeiro great again.”

He wrote on Instagram: “It’s my turn to try and open doors for the team. Not as a hero. Not with superpowers to single-handedly change reality. But with immense responsibility. With intelligent and sustainable management for medium- and long-term growth.”

“I don’t have all the answers to the questions that I ask myself and I possibly won’t have all the answers to the questions that you will ask me,” he wrote in an open letter to fans.

“What I do know is that the kid who learnt at Cruzeiro that dreams can come true today makes me believe that it is possible to rescue the club from its crisis.”

It is the second foray into management for the former PSV Eindhoven, Internazionale, AC Milan, Barcelona and Corinthians striker. Ronaldo bought a 51% stake in Spanish club Real Valladolid in 2018.

Neither he nor Cruzeiro provided any significant details but XP said in a statement “it seeks to help the Brazilian football industry with professionalisation, capitalization and opening new opportunities.”

Ronaldo posted a blue heart and a fox — the Cruzeiro mascot — on Twitter, and a club spokesperson confirmed the deal.

Cruzeiro also told the fans they were “phenomenal”, in a reference to Ronaldo’s nickname as a player, “Ronaldo Fenomeno”.

The deal comes a few months after the Brazilian Congress sanctioned a law allowing football clubs, historically fan-owned and closed off to outside investors, to become businesses.

“This is the first bit of business in a relevant new front for the investment banking market in Brazil, the country of football,” said Jose Berenguer, CEO of Banco XP.

“I have no doubt this is transformational in the history of Brazilian sport. We will have clubs that are stronger, with the capacity for global investment. Brazilian football will never be the same again.”

Fred Signs Two-Year Contract with Former Team Fluminense FC

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Fred is pedaling his way back… 

The 36-year old professional soccer striker, whose full name is Frederico Chaves Guedes, is leaving Cruzeiro to return to his previous team Fluminense FC,and he’s announced plans to cycle the 600 kilometers to join his new club.

Fred

Fred signed a two-year contract with Fluminense over the weekend and a day later announced he was setting off with a support team on a charity cycle from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro.

“The objective is to receive hampers of basic foodstuffs for 4,000 families on this trip to the Fluminense training center that I am starting today,” Fred said on Instagram, where he has 2.6 million followers.

“I am counting on you during this solidarity trip. I’m cycling and you are donating from your homes and we’re all in this together for a bigger cause.”

Fred, who became the third highest scorer in Fluminense’s history in his previous spell between 2009 and 2016, left Cruzeiro, who were relegated to Brazil’s Serie B last season.

Brazilian football was suspended in March and the state championships have yet to restart, while some Rio clubs resumed non-contact training on Monday.