Executives said the club was going through a delicate period and the board was seeking a financial solution while trying to focus on day-to-day life with Dorival.
Corinthians’ executive director of football, Fabinho Soldado, admitted that the club faces serious difficulties in planning for the 2026 season. He said the lack of a defined calendar and a transfer ban imposed by FIFA due to debts with Mexican side Santos Laguna were making it difficult for talks to progress.
“The majority of[the team]are very focused on working directly with Dorival, the technical committee and the players to ensure that we can finish the five Copa do Brasil games with peace of mind and honor. We are not satisfied with the latest result and neither are the players. I’m not happy, the technical committee is not happy, I’m not happy, the management is not happy, but now it’s time to take advantage of this FIFA day. We have to prepare better this time so that we can behave differently next time at home.”It’s a classic game,” Soldier said.
Leaders seek instability in chaos.
The official said President Osmar Stabile and the legal and financial departments are focused on resolving bureaucratic and economic obstacles. In the meantime, he is trying to ensure internal stability and prepare the team for its final assignment of the year.
“We cannot sit back and watch. Corinthians has been through difficult times, and they are not new. Our chairman is doing his best, but his opinions are divided when talking about transfers and other bureaucratic issues. The work at this stage falls to him in collaboration with a talented team, the board of directors, legal and finance departments.”
“At the moment I am concentrating more on the technical part itself, and I have had this idea for 26 years. So, look at the scale of the task we have. The super difficult São Paulo tournament starts on January 11th and the Classic has already taken place. We need to consider all possibilities so that we can finish the 2025 championship in a better way, and we are already thinking of some scenarios for 2026.”
Club subject to transfer ban
Corinthians have been prohibited from registering new players since August 12 due to a 40 million reais debt with Santos Laguna following the signing of defender Felix Torres. In addition, the club has received five criminal convictions from FIFA. One of these cases was granted by CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) in a case brought by Matias Rojas for approximately 41.5 million reais. The total amount of international disputes exceeds R$125 million.
To overcome the crisis, the board is considering taking out a loan of R$100 million. In 2025, Corinthians only hired two reinforcements. Full-back Fabrizio Anghilleri earlier this year and striker Vitinho just days before the FIFA sanctions came into effect.
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