Cruzeiro lets academy youngsters leave, eyes future profit; why

Cruzeiro lets academy youngsters leave, eyes future profit; why With a strong professional squad and heavy investment since Pedro Lourenço’s management took over the SAF, Cruzeiro has adopted a new business model for academy players who were unable to establish themselves in the first team. Over the last two years, the club has released ten youngsters without receiving immediate financial compensation, but with one condition: retaining part of their economic rights with an eye on future sales. The ge portal compiled information on this change in Raposa’s strategy.  Check it out below! The club’s board understands that keeping players under contract through successive loans, just to hold on to them, often ends up devaluing those assets. Since the lack of minutes in the professional team makes immediate purchase offers harder to come by, Cruzeiro prefers to send these youngsters to clubs where they will have room to play and increase their value, while ensuring the Minas Gerais side keeps a share of any eventual transfer. List of departures with retained rights (Focus on the Future) In recent months, Raposa has sent several young talents to domestic and international football under this model: To Portugal: Vitinho and Fernando (Santa Clara); Janderson (Moreirense). To Brazil: William Fernando and Pedrão (Avaí); Jhosefer (ABC); Arthur Viana (Caxias); João Pedro (Londrina); Dorival (Tombense). Arab world: Ruan Santos (Al Bataeh, United Arab Emirates, transferred in 2024). Million-Real Sales and Current Loans Despite the focus on future profits with some players, the current management has also brought cash into the club through youngsters who attracted strong interest from the international market. Sales: The recent transfers of full-back Kauã Prates (Borussia Dortmund) and midfielder Cauan Baptistella (Metalist) brought in around R$ 80 million combined for Cruzeiro’s coffers. On loan: The club currently has Bruno Alves at Norwich (England) and Tevis at Yokohama Marinos (Japan) — both with financial compensation for the loan — as well as Ian Luccas at Athletic-MG. Midfielder Gui Meira returned from Portugal and is deciding his future. Who stayed and is shining in the first team The board, together with head coach Artur Jorge, is also working to better integrate the academy into the senior squad. Three names have stood out the most recently: Otávio: The goalkeeper took over after first-choice keeper Cássio got injured. He performed so well that the club gave up on looking for a new No. 1 in the market. Kaiki: The left-back is on the radar of European football and was included in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s preliminary list for the World Cup. Kaique Kenji: The young forward has been earning more and more minutes and the coach’s trust. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.