Athletico monitors the market in search of reinforcements for 2025

Athletico is keeping an eye on the football market to reinforce itself for 2025. Furacão, however, wants to wait for the Brasileirão to end before starting planning for next year.

Two reinforcements, in turn, are in the club’s sights: the right-back Diogo Hereda26 years old, from CRB, and the striker Luiz Fernando28 years old, from Atlético-GO. Another name considered would be striker Isidro Pitta, from Cuiabá, but the competition is greater.

Hereda was the full-back with the most successful dribbles in Serie B in 2024. The player would be a replacement for Madson’s place, which is not available for next year. He would compete for a place with incumbent Leo Godoy. The information about Athletico’s interest in the athlete was initially released by Rádio Jornal, in Maceió.

Luiz Fernando was revealed by the club from Goiás, spent time at Botafogo, Grêmio and returned to Dragão in 2022, where he has been ever since. In the current season, there were 52 games, with 19 goals and five assists. As he plays as a winger, he would compete for a place with Cuello, Canobbio and Julimar, for example. The information about the deal was given by journalist Tiago Marchezini, from Canal Três Pontos.

In addition to monitoring the market, Athletico also looks at stays within the squad. The first of them is Fernandinho, who should remain at the club. In addition to him, Nikão and Gabriel only have loan contracts until the end of the year, but would be interested in remaining at Furacão. Both have the same manager.

But before delving deeper into the ball market, Athletico focuses on remaining in Series A. Rubro-Negro hosts Fluminense this Sunday (1st), at 6:30 pm, at Ligga Arena, for the 36th round of the Brasileirão. The confrontation is direct in the fight against relegation. Furacão is in 15th place, with 41 points, while Flu comes next, with 39 points.

What does Athletico need to avoid relegation against Fluminense?

Athletico needs to win and count on two other results: at least a draw between Bragantino x Cruzeiro (or Braga’s defeat) and Criciúma’s defeat against Corinthians.

In other words, Bragantino, which has 37 points so far, would not reach Furacão even if it won the last two rounds based on the number of victories (8 for Massa Bruta against 11 for Athletico). The game against Cruzeiro will also be on Sunday (1), at 6:30 pm, at the Nabi Abi Chedid Stadium, in Bragança Paulista.

Criciúma, with 38 points, also needs to bet on the home factor. Tigre will face Corinthians, who have won five in a row, on Saturday (30), at 7:30 pm.

If they lose in this game, the Santa Catarina team would also no longer have a chance to match Athletico due to the worst number of victories (11 to 9 in favor of Rubro-Negro currently).

Furacão can then, mathematically, escape relegation in this 36th round with these combinations of results and could even think about a South American in the final two rounds.

In the event of a stumble against Fluminense and eventual victories by Bragantino and/or Criciúma, Athletico will need to keep its alert on and seek to remain in the other direct duel against Massa Bruta, on Thursday (5), at 8pm, again at the Ligga Arena.