The week between 13 and 19 July 2026 worked as a preparation for the most intense phase of the ball market in the Brasileirão. Some clubs announced reinforcements, others advanced in negotiations and several started to discuss possible sales after the World Cup.
Brazilian football's main transfer window will open on July 20th and will continue until September 11th. Before that, the CBF authorized an extraordinary period, ending on July 17, for registrations involving players who already played in the country. The combination of these two dates explains why some national operations advanced first, while reinforcements from abroad were dependent on the official opening of the window.
The summary of the week in the football market
São Paulo was the club that presented the most concrete move, announcing Newton and forwarding the arrivals of the Portuguese Domingos Duarte and Aurélio Buta. Flamengo and Palmeiras, on the other hand, focused their attention on two potentially million-dollar deals: Thiago Almada and Danilo, respectively.
Internacional, Vasco, Grêmio and Botafogo also advanced in search of reinforcements. Corinthians, however, ended the week divided between trying to sign new players, the risks of losing valued young people and the impediments to registering athletes.
The general scenario can be summarized as follows:
| Situation | Main cases |
|---|---|
| Official | Newton in São Paulo and Matheus Cunha in Internacional |
| Advanced trading | Thiago Almada at Flamengo, Deossa at Vasco, Domingos Duarte and Aurélio Buta at São Paulo |
| Interest maintained | Danilo at Palmeiras and Fred at Atlético-MG |
| Dependent on administrative issues | Wesley and Arthur at Corinthians |
| Possible sales | André, Danilo, Montoro, Gabriel Mec and Naves |
| Club prevented from hiring | Santos, until your transfer ban is resolved |
São Paulo takes the lead with Newton and two other nearby reinforcements
The most concrete movement of the week took place in São Paulo. On Friday, July 17, the club announced the permanent signing of midfielder Newton, who belonged to Botafogo.
The agreement was closed for 3 million euros, approximately R$ 17.5 million at the price informed in the negotiation. São Paulo, however, will not need to make an immediate payment. The amount could be compensated if Botafogo exercises the option to purchase defender Ferraresi, currently on loan to the Rio club. Newton is signed until the end of 2029.
Tricolor also left out the signings of Domingos Duarte and Aurélio Buta. The two were without a contract, which allows São Paulo to reinforce positions considered lacking without paying transfer fees.
Domingos Duarte, 31 years old, returned to the agenda after reducing his salary request. The defender ended his contract with Getafe after participating in 34 of the club's 38 matches in the last Spanish Championship. The forecast was for a contract for two seasons.
Aurélio Buta, 29, ended his contract with Eintracht Frankfurt and was negotiating a one-season contract. The right-back played for clubs in France, Belgium, Germany and Denmark and would arrive as an experienced alternative for the sector. Until the completion of this investigation, both Buta and Domingos Duarte were still depending on the latest procedures to be made official.
The reading is clear: São Paulo bet on a combination of opportunities with no acquisition cost and a structured national contract to preserve cash in the short term.
Flamengo awaits Thiago Almada's decision after the World Cup
Flamengo advanced in talks to sign Thiago Almada, from Atlético de Madrid. The Rio club maintained contact with the Argentine attacking midfielder's staff and reached the end of the week with negotiations considered advanced on that front.
This still doesn't mean Almada is signed. The player decided to evaluate his future after the World Cup final on July 19, while Flamengo still needs to build a complete agreement involving the athlete and Atlético de Madrid.
Almada knows Brazilian football from his time at Botafogo and offers characteristics that Flamengo are looking for: the ability to act centrally, mobility between the lines and the possibility of also playing on the wings.
The main obstacle must be financial. The Argentine has an international market and also aroused interest from River Plate. Therefore, Flamengo will need to balance transfer value, salary and competition without necessarily repeating the large investments made at the beginning of the season.
The tendency is for the week starting July 20th to be decisive. The end of the World Cup allows the athlete to formally analyze the proposals and for conversations between the clubs to move forward.
Palmeiras keeps Danilo as a priority, but needs to reformulate the proposal
Palmeiras confirmed that they remain interested in Danilo, currently at Botafogo. President Leila Pereira declared that director Anderson Barros maintained frequent contact with the Rio club and with the midfielder's representatives.
The first proposal from Palmeiras was around R$ 120 million, in addition to the inclusion of defender Naves. The format will need to be changed because Naves sent a transfer to Necaxa, from Mexico.
Danilo is treated as Palmeiras' main target because he already knows the club, has identification with the fans and can fulfill different roles in midfield. However, Botafogo intends to recover an important portion of the investment made in signing the player.
Palmeiras must evaluate a proposal with a higher fixed value, bonus or other composition. Botafogo, in turn, may prefer a European offer, especially if foreign clubs transform the consultations carried out in recent months into official proposals.
This has the potential to be the biggest domestic negotiation of the window, but there is still a distance between interest, value offered and the conditions considered appropriate by Botafogo.
Botafogo is looking for a striker while evaluating important sales
While discussing Danilo's future, Botafogo also negotiated the arrival of striker Danilo Pereira, belonging to Rangers. The proposal provides for a loan until June 2027 and a purchase option at the end of the period.
The club is still monitoring the possibility of selling Danilo and Montoro. Internally, there was an expectation of significant revenue from the duo, although no negotiations should be considered concluded before a formal proposal is accepted.
This puts Botafogo in front of a delicate window. The club needs to remain competitive in the second half of the year, but it can also use valued assets to reorganize its finances and finance new signings.
Newton's departure to São Paulo has already reduced one option in midfield. If Danilo is also traded, replacement for the sector will become an immediate need.
Internacional announces goalkeeper and sends Calebe
International announced on Friday the signing of goalkeeper Matheus Cunha, from Cruzeiro. The 25-year-old player arrives on loan until June 2027.
The club also has an agreement to receive Calebe, who belongs to Fortaleza and was on loan to Alavés. The deal provides for a loan until the end of 2026, with an option to purchase, but it still depended on the completion of the necessary procedures for the announcement.
In addition to the signings, Inter took advantage of the week to protect players trained at the academy. Benjamin renewed for four years, while Luiz Felipe and João Victor also signed new contracts with high fines for abroad.
The Colorado strategy combines three fronts: reinforcing specific positions, preserving valued young people and evaluating possible exits, such as that of Bruno Tabata.
Vasco advances through Deossa and expands search for defender
Vasco ended the week with the negotiation for Nelson Deossa considered advanced. Pedrinho's return to football leadership helped to resume conversations that had been hampered by the administrative instability involving the SAF.
After the Colombian midfielder, the priority became signing a defender. The club consulted the situations of:
- Murilo, from Palmeiras;
- Diego Carlos, from Como;
- Vítor Tormena, from Krasnodar;
- Gabriel Pereira, from Copenhagen.
The desired profile is that of a right-handed defender, strong from the top and capable of raising the physical level of the defensive system. The consultations do not represent official proposals, but they show that Vasco expanded its mapping to avoid becoming dependent on a single target.
The definitive advancement will depend on the financial capacity of the SAF. The expectation of new investments improves the scenario, but complex contracts and high values could lead the club to prioritize loans or players with easier conditions.
Corinthians run into transfer bans and could lose André
Corinthians made progress in an attempt to sign Wesley, from Al-Nassr. The striker would agree to reduce part of his salary to return to Brazil, but the deal depends on the transfer bans being lifted that prevent the club from registering reinforcements.
Juventus midfielder Arthur also remains on the radar. The board admits the interest, but recognizes that it needs to resolve financial delays and registration impediments before transforming the survey into a viable operation.
At the same time, Corinthians could be a target for the European market. Juventus made contact with André and is considering presenting a proposal. The São Paulo club works with a valuation close to 20 million euros, around R$ 117 million at the published price.
Another possible exit is that of Pedro Raul. The center forward was not convincing internally during the interseason and could be loaned out again.
Therefore, Corinthians starts the window with a different problem than its main competitors: before hiring, it needs to recover its legal and financial capacity to register players.
Grêmio hits Jovane Cabral and continues looking for a number 10
Grêmio agreed on the arrival of Jovane Cabral, a player from the Cape Verde national team who played in the World Cup. The attacking midfielder was free after leaving Estrela da Amadora and signed for 18 months.
The signing adds speed and the ability to act on the sides, but does not end Grêmio's planning. The club is still looking for:
- a breeding sock;
- a right-back;
- a defender who can play on the left side.
The search for a shipowner gains importance given the inquiries received by Gabriel Mec. Shakhtar Donetsk and Villarreal were among the clubs that showed interest in the youngster.
Grêmio should maintain a more cautious stance than at the beginning of the season, prioritizing free players, loans and negotiations that do not require large outlays immediately.
Atlético-MG tries Fred, but reinforcement suffers injury
Atlético-MG kept midfielder Fred, from Fenerbahçe, as one of their dreams for the midfield. The player's agent traveled to discuss his situation with the Turkish club, but there was still no confirmation of release or proposal accepted by Galo.
The only reinforcement announced by Atlético during the break was defender Léo Duarte. However, the defender suffered a muscle injury to his right thigh during the interseason and began treatment.
The board had already indicated that it does not intend to make investments outside its financial reality. Thus, Fred's signing would depend on a composition that reduces transfer and salary costs.
Santos remains limited by transfer ban
Santos entered the week prevented from registering new players and trying to alleviate its salary bill. The financial crisis and transfer ban reduced the club's ability to actively participate in the window.
Furthermore, Neymar's future remains undefined. The striker reappeared on July 17, but his contract ends in December and still requires a decision on renewal, staying until the end of the contract or eventual departure.
Before thinking about major reinforcements, Santos needs to resolve administrative impediments and define which players can leave to make room on the roster.
Vitória did the work before opening the window
Vitória arrived at the return of the Brasileirão with Brítez, Walace and Tomás Pochettino registered. The three were regularized during the extraordinary window for national transfers.
The signings addressed clear needs: Brítez reinforces the defense, Walace offers strength in the first midfield role and Pochettino adds creation.
The Bahian club tends to observe the performance of reinforcements in the first rounds before deciding whether to make new moves with greater impact.
Overview of the other clubs in Series A
Some teams made their major moves before the week of July 13-19 and are now entering an evaluation phase.
Fluminense had already signed Hulk and Thiago Silva, while Cruzeiro presented Gabriel Pec and started looking for new offensive options without accepting any financial conditions. Bahia, Athletico, Mirassol, Coritiba, Chapecoense and Remo also made adjustments during the break, with different levels of investment.
Athletico had defined two defenders, a right-back and two attackers as priorities. Bahia reinforced important sectors with Alejo Véliz, Marco Moreno and Guido Herrera before the championship resumed.
Bragantino, Coritiba, Chapecoense, Mirassol and Remo must use the first matches after the break to identify whether the changes made were sufficient or whether it will be necessary to return to the market.
What the week revealed about the Brazilian market
Free players gained importance
São Paulo and Grêmio sought athletes without a contract to reduce acquisition costs. This strategy should appear in other clubs, especially those facing cash constraints.
National negotiations have become more complex
Danilo, Newton and Deossa show that the domestic market is no longer just a cheap alternative. Players valued within Brazil can generate operations with high figures, athlete exchange, debt compensation and future clauses.
Sales will be able to define hiring
Botafogo, Corinthians and Grêmio have young people observed abroad. The entry of resources by André, Montoro, Danilo or Gabriel Mec could completely change the investment power of these clubs.
The World Cup postponed decisions
Players like Almada and Danilo have spent the last few weeks focused on their national teams or on vacation after the competition. With the end of the World Cup, clubs, athletes and businesspeople will be able to accelerate their choices.
Forecasts for the coming weeks
The following projections represent an analysis of the current scenario, not confirmation of transfers.
Danilo should continue as the main national soap opera
Palmeiras and Botafogo are interested in resolving the situation quickly. The midfielder also prefers to know his destiny before fully returning to his gaming routine. The possibility of a European offer, however, could prolong negotiations.
The tendency is for Palmeiras to present a different composition, now without Naves, while Botafogo will evaluate whether the value is worth selling the player to a direct competitor.
Flamengo will know if it can advance through Almada
The Argentine's decision after the World Cup should determine whether Flamengo transforms its interest into a formal proposal to Atlético de Madrid or goes with another name.
If Almada prioritizes a return to South America, Flamengo and River Plate could be the protagonists of a financial and sporting dispute.
São Paulo can complete your package quickly
Domingos Duarte and Aurélio Buta were in the final phase of evaluations. If there are no medical or documentary problems, São Paulo could start the window with four reinforcements hired during the period: Victor Sá, Newton, Domingos Duarte and Buta.
Vasco will focus resources on a defender
Deossa is closer, but signing a defender will likely require more effort. Some of the names consulted have long contracts and high salaries, which could lead Vasco to negotiate loans or look for new alternatives.
Corinthians will have a race against their own problems
The board will need to lift the transfer bans to avoid losing Wesley, Arthur or other opportunities. At the same time, a sale of André or Breno Bidon could generate resources, but also open up an important need in midfield.
Young Brazilians will be sought after by European clubs
The post-World Cup period coincides with the start of the European season. André, Montoro, Gabriel Mec and other young players from Serie A should continue receiving consultations.
Not all of them will become proposals, but Brazilian clubs need to be prepared for quick replacements, especially as the European window will move forward while the Brasileirão is underway.
Results from the first rounds will change priorities
The resumption of the championship will be decisive. Defensive failures, injuries or creative difficulties could force clubs that are currently cautious to speed up negotiations.
For this reason, some of the most important signings may only occur in August, when managers and coaches have a clearer assessment of the squads after the long stoppage.
Conclusion
The week before the opening of the window did not present a flood of announcements, but it defined the negotiations that should command the ball market in the Brasileirão.
São Paulo took the lead with Newton and two other close deals. Flamengo and Palmeiras took a stand for Almada and Danilo. Internacional and Grêmio made specific moves, while Vasco and Botafogo prepared new stages of reformulation.
Corinthians and Santos are in more delicate situations because they depend on resolving impediments before hiring. Atlético-MG and other clubs are adopting financial caution and can wait for the first games to decide how much to invest.
From July 20th, international transfers will be able to be registered and conversations held back during the World Cup should gain speed. The coming weeks promise not only new reinforcements, but also sales of young people, disputes between rivals and negotiations capable of changing the balance of the second round of the Brasileirão.
Sources and verification
The investigation was closed on July 19, 2026 and considered the official CBF calendar, news published by recognized sports vehicles and updates from the clubs. Negotiations not officially announced have been identified as ongoing interest, consultation or agreement.
