The week of July 12th to 18th, 2026 moved the European ball market involving Brazilians at different stages of their career. While Andrey Santos and Marcos Leonardo had transfers officially confirmed, João Gomes moved towards Aston Villa and Brazilian clubs received inquiries or proposals for young athletes.
The scenario requires caution because official announcement, agreement between clubs and simple interest are completely different situations. Therefore, this balance separates closed deals from advanced negotiations and movements that still depend on a proposal, medical exams or the player's decision.
A summary of Brazilians' week in the European market
The table presents the main cases identified during the investigation period, ending on July 19, 2026.
| Player | Situation | Movement | Internship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrey Santos | Official | Chelsea to Manchester United | Contract signed |
| Marcos Leonardo | Official | Al-Hilal to Ajax | Contract signed |
| João Gomes | Advanced trading | Wolverhampton to Aston Villa | Agreement reported and exams sent |
| Gabriel Mec | Proposal accepted by the club | Grêmio for Shakhtar Donetsk | Player decision pending |
| André | Interest and possible proposal | Corinthians to Juventus | Survey confirmed by the press |
| Richarlison | Interest | Tottenham to Juventus | Alternative to another target |
| Danilo | Consultation or speculation | Botafogo to Newcastle | No proposal presented |
Andrey Santos leaves Chelsea for Manchester United
The main transfer of a Brazilian within English football was the move of Andrey Santos to Manchester United. The club confirmed the signing of the midfielder on July 13, with a contract valid until June 2031.
According to Reuters, the operation was structured at approximately 48 million fixed pounds, with the possibility of a further 2 million pounds in bonuses. The player left Chelsea after establishing himself as one of the most valued young options in the Premier League.
The transfer represents an important change in sporting terms. At United, Andrey arrives to compete for space in a midfield that is undergoing reformulation and will have the opportunity to assume a more central role in the club's project.
The Brazilian has already participated in the first training sessions and made his debut in the pre-season, indicating that the coaching staff intends to accelerate his adaptation to the new environment.
Marcos Leonardo returns to Europe to play for Ajax
Another official deal of the week was the transfer of Marcos Leonardo from Al-Hilal to Ajax. The Brazilian striker signed a contract until June 30, 2031, in an operation worth just under 20 million euros.
The trip to Amsterdam puts the former Santos player back in European football after his time in Saudi football. For Ajax, this is a signing aimed at both immediate sporting performance and possible future appreciation.
Marcos Leonardo arrives with the responsibility of increasing the team's presence in the opposing area. His profile as a mobile striker, with ease in finishing inside the box, suits a club used to developing players and trading them later on to larger markets.
The transfer also ends speculation about a possible return to Brazilian football this summer. Although the striker's name was associated with Flamengo, his confirmed destination was Ajax.
João Gomes is close to Aston Villa
The most advanced case yet to be officially announced involves João Gomes. Aston Villa and Wolverhampton have reached an agreement for the transfer of the midfielder, according to information published in England. Reported values vary between £35 million and £38 million.
The Brazilian left Wolverhampton's pre-season camp to undergo medical examinations and complete the final stages of the operation. Until the end of this investigation, however, Aston Villa had not yet published the official announcement.
João Gomes gained space in English football due to his intensity without the ball, ability to recover and participation in physical duels. These characteristics help explain Villa's interest, as they seek to reorganize the sector after changes in their midfield.
As it is at an advanced stage, this is one of the transfers with the greatest possibility of confirmation in the coming days. Even so, the deal should only be treated as concluded after the documents have been signed and the clubs have communicated.
Gabriel Mec's proposal is accepted, but he is considering a move to Ukraine
Among the players who play in Brazil, Gabriel Mec appears in one of the most relevant negotiations. Grêmio accepted the terms presented by Shakhtar Donetsk, but the midfielder and his representatives are still analyzing the transfer.
The main pending point is no longer the understanding between the clubs, but the athlete's decision about moving to Ukraine. Therefore, the case cannot be classified as a closed contract.
The situation puts Grêmio in front of a common scenario for Brazilian clubs: balancing the financial return of an international proposal with the possibility of developing the player for longer and increasing his sporting value.
For Shakhtar, the operation follows a well-known strategy of signing young South Americans before they achieve even greater appreciation in national and continental competitions.
Juventus watches André, from Corinthians
Corinthians midfielder André has entered Juventus' radar. ESPN reported that the Italian club carried out a survey and is considering making a formal offer.
Corinthians would have defined as a reference an operation with 18 million fixed euros and up to 4 million euros in goals, involving 80% of the player's economic rights. This value works as a negotiation condition, and not as confirmation that Juventus has already presented the proposal.
The case should be followed in the coming weeks because it brings together three elements favorable to a move:
- Interest from a traditional Serie A club.
- Young player with room for development.
- Corinthians willing to negotiate subject to compliance with its financial conditions.
The next step will be to check whether Juventus will transform the survey into an official document. Until that happens, the correct scenario is interest with expectation of proposal.
Richarlison emerges as an alternative for Juventus' attack
Juventus is also monitoring the situation of Richarlison, currently at Tottenham. The Brazilian appears as a possible alternative if the Italian club is unable to move forward with the signing of Randal Kolo Muani.
The information was published by the Italian press, but there is no confirmation of a proposal to Tottenham. Therefore, the case must be treated as interest or monitoring.
Richarlison has characteristics that may appeal to the Italian market: ability to put pressure on the opponent, strength in duels and the possibility of acting centrally or on the sides. The physical issue and the total cost of the operation, however, must weigh in on any negotiation.
The Brazilian's future may directly depend on Juventus' outcome with their priority target. If the attack on Kolo Muani fails, the possibility of an approach by the Tottenham striker tends to gain strength.
Danilo returns to the Premier League radar
Botafogo midfielder Danilo was linked to Newcastle as a possible alternative for midfield. The move would be related to the possible departure of Bruno Guimarães, although Newcastle did not present a proposal for the player from the Rio club.
Botafogo would work with a valuation of between 35 million and 40 million euros. This level makes the operation complex and reduces the possibility of an immediate transfer based solely on surveys.
Danilo already has Premier League experience from his time at Nottingham Forest. However, a new trip to England depends on a sequence of events: departure of a player from Newcastle, opening up space in the squad and presentation of an offer compatible with Botafogo's assessment.
For now, this is a conditioned interest, not an advanced negotiation.
What these movements reveal about Brazilians
The week presented three different types of searches for Brazilian players.
The first is the investment in athletes already adapted to European football, such as Andrey Santos and João Gomes. In this case, buyers accept paying high amounts to reduce adaptation risks.
The second involves players looking for repositioning, such as Marcos Leonardo and Richarlison. They are well-known athletes, but they could find more minutes, protagonism or a better tactical fit in a change of club.
The third is focused on young people working in Brazil. Gabriel Mec and André represent the European interest in bringing forward signings before appreciation is driven by more seasons, titles or call-ups.
Forecasts for the coming weeks
The projections below represent an analysis of the current stage of negotiations. They should not be interpreted as a guarantee of closure.
João Gomes should be one of the next announcements
The reported agreement between Aston Villa and Wolverhampton and the completion of medical tests put João Gomes very close to the transfer. Barring any contractual or medical difficulties, the expectation is for an announcement in the coming days.
Gabriel Mec will continue to be an unpredictable decision
Grêmio has already accepted Shakhtar's terms, but the player and his staff have not set a deadline for responding. This means that the deal can be concluded quickly, renegotiated or terminated by the athlete's own decision.
Juventus must define priorities in attack and midfield
Richarlison depends on the progress of the conversations involving Kolo Muani, while André awaits a possible formal proposal. The tendency is for Juventus to first resolve its priority targets before committing resources to alternative operations.
Danilo will depend on an important departure from Newcastle
The possibility of returning to England is linked to the future of Bruno Guimarães and Newcastle's willingness to invest the amount desired by Botafogo. Without these conditions, interest tends to remain only in the field of consultations.
The opening of the Brazilian window will increase movements
Brazilian football's second transfer window begins on July 20 and runs until September 11, 2026. The period will allow clubs to register reinforcements and reorganize their squads after possible sales to Europe.
This opening should accelerate negotiations involving replacements, returns of players who play abroad and athletes who lost space in European clubs.
Closed deal is not the same as observed player
The current market situation demands attention to the words used in the news. Andrey Santos and Marcos Leonardo are official signings. João Gomes has a reported agreement, but it still depends on the announcement. Gabriel Mec has a proposal accepted by Grêmio, but he has not made his decision. André, Richarlison and Danilo remain in the field of interest or research.
This separation prevents queries from being transformed into closed transfers and allows us to better understand what could really happen in the coming weeks. The editorial methodology used classifies each movement according to its stage and presents the content without HTML tags, in accordance with the standards established for the portal.
A market that must gain speed
The week showed that Brazilians continue to occupy strategic positions in the planning of European clubs. The market is looking for players ranging from established players in the Premier League to young players who are still making their way in Brazilian football.
Andrey Santos and Marcos Leonardo are already starting new chapters. João Gomes is close to following the same path. Gabriel Mec, André, Richarlison and Danilo appear as the main names to watch.
With the opening of the Brazilian window and the advancement of the European pre-seasons, the tendency is for surveys to be transformed into proposals and for clubs to press for faster responses. The decisive point will be to identify which interests have sufficient financial capacity and sporting needs to become official business.
