The club did not provide the guarantees demanded by the Argentine team and negotiations with the players were paralyzed at the start of the year.
Santos’ negotiations to sign Chilean midfielder Felipe Loyola have entered a waiting period and are currently virtually frozen.
According to the Globo Esportethe reason is financial. The Argentinian Independiente is awaiting bank guarantees which have not yet been presented by the Brazilian club, which prevents negotiations from moving forward on the eve of the start of 2026.
About ten days ago, Peixe formalized a proposal of 6 million dollars, a value that is around R$33 million, according to the recent quote, for 80% of the economic rights of the 25-year-old player.
The offer included a staggered payment, a model that led the Argentines to demand financial guarantees before authorizing any next step in the transfer. Since then, Independiente has not received the requested guarantees and has made it clear, behind the scenes, that it has no intention of releasing the athlete without this guarantee.
Sources linked to the Argentine club indicate that, without meeting the requirements, Loyola will not be negotiated, regardless of the value offered.
Although there is no official date set, Independiente management has been waiting for a definition in recent days and is working with the intention of resolving the midfielder’s future before the start of the new season. The lack of definition generated unease and contributed to the cooling of the negotiations.
On Santos’ side, the scenario is one of caution. The club faces cash flow constraints and is taking a conservative stance in the market, prioritizing strategic decisions before further disbursements. The main one is the renewal of Neymar’s contract, considered internally as a top priority, even if the official announcement has not been made.
At the same time, Santos is evaluating other moves. The board is discussing with Cruzeiro the possibility of a loan involving Gabigol and analyzing the possibility of investing up to 11 million reais to recruit Rony, who is not expected to stay at Atlético-MG.
Despite the difficulties, the club already has financial commitments defined for 2026. Defender Zé Ivaldo and attacking midfielder Barreal have achieved the objectives set in their loan contracts and will therefore see their links definitively acquired by Santos.
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