Botafogo have big ambitions and big pockets to achieve their goals. The Rio de Janeiro-based team has already made significant signings in the last transfer window (some of them already among the highest in its history), but it wants more.
John Textor recently revealed he would like to sign Thiago Almada, a World Cup champion with Argentina in 2022. The Atlanta United sensation is under contract in Major League Soccer until 2026, but the American businessman is confident he can make an offer that satisfies all parties.
READ MORE
++ José Mourinho, impossible dream or realistic target for Botafogo?
++ Botafogo win first leg against Bragantino and move closer to Libertadores group stage
++ By leaving Inter Miami, Gregore makes the top 5 of Botafogo’s most expensive signings
Textor admires Almada
“I respect the club where he plays. You don’t go to a club and take a player in the first week of the season. He was elected the MLS Player of the Year. So when you talk about a player of this level, you talk to the club. Fortunately, we don’t have to deal with agents. That’s the relationship we have in the United States. They know we like him. When they are ready to sell him, we will be ready to talk. It’s like Luiz Henrique. In two years, these guys will be in Europe worth 40 to 60 million dollars. We like Almada, we are interested, we haven’t made a written proposal, but we have made our interest clear. They also love him, just like the Atlanta fans. So he should stay at Atlanta until they are ready to negotiate,” said Textor, as quoted by Globo Esporte.
Sources: Botafogo has had informal talks for Atlanta United star Thiago Almada, but are yet to submit an official bid.
Botafogo could bid around $20m, a number extremely unlikely to tempt Atlanta.
w/ @PaulTenorio https://t.co/78hak8HvHh
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 7, 2024
The 22-year-old became the MLS record signing when he left Vélez Sarsfield for $16 million in 2022. Since then, he has been considered by Lionel Scaloni for the Albiceleste, representing Argentina at the Qatar 2022 World Cup (Almada replaced Joaquín Correa in the call-up and played six minutes against Poland in the group stage). Furthermore, he recently participated in the Pre-Olympic tournament, where his country secured qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Needless to say, Almada has an interesting profile for a club with serious aspirations such as Botafogo.
“We are building (Botafogo). Today we made a €20 million offer for a player for the next transfer window. This club is changing,” Textor stated.
