The last winter transfer window witnessed dramatic twists in one deal that was on the verge of completion: the loan transfer of Brazilian star Michael Delgado from Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal to Brazilian club São Paulo. Despite negotiations reaching an advanced stage, the deal collapsed at the last minute, leaving fans wondering about the real reason behind the setback.
General context: Al-Hilal's purchasing power and the transfer market
This event comes amidst a radical transformation of the Saudi Professional League, which, thanks to massive investments, has become a destination for the world's top football stars. Al-Hilal, as one of the giants of Saudi and Asian football, is among the biggest beneficiaries of this boom, boasting a squad brimming with local and international stars. This surge in signings presents clubs with the challenge of managing their foreign player rosters, making loaning out some stars a viable option to free up space for new players or to achieve team balance.
Details of the negotiations and the sudden shift
According to reliable Brazilian press reports, most notably those of journalist Jorge Nicola, Al-Hilal reached a preliminary agreement with São Paulo to loan Michael for four months. The initial agreement stipulated that Al-Hilal would cover the majority of the player's high salary, estimated at around 3 million Brazilian reais per month, a condition that was ideal for São Paulo's management. However, the situation changed completely later on.
The main reason for this shift was the entry of Flamengo, São Paulo's arch-rival and one of the clubs where Michael enjoys immense popularity, into the negotiations. According to sources, Flamengo expressed its willingness to cover the player's entire salary, which prompted Al-Hilal's management to reassess its financial terms. Consequently, the club requested that São Paulo assume the full salary, a condition the Brazilian club was unable to meet due to its limited financial resources compared to Saudi clubs.
The importance of the deal and the impact of its failure
Domestically in Brazil, the arrival of a player of Michael's caliber, both technically and in terms of fan base, would have been a tremendous boost to São Paulo's attack and a significant blow to their rivals. In the Saudi league, Michael's continued presence with Al-Hilal provided coach Jorge Jesus with a crucial attacking option possessing speed and dribbling skills, contributing to the team's continued dominance in domestic and continental competitions. Internationally, this incident reflects the growing financial influence of Saudi clubs and their ability to dictate terms in the global transfer market, even to established Brazilian clubs, thus shifting the balance of power in the world of football.
Ultimately, Sao Paulo's inability to match the new offer led to the official cessation of negotiations, leaving Michael Delgado in Al-Hilal's ranks, confirming that the financial factor has become a decisive player in determining players' destinations more than ever before.
