Al Hilal ask for more time in Marcos Leonardo transfer saga | OneFootball

Forward during an event at Vila Belmiro in early 2023 (Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)

RAFAEL EMILIANO@rafaelemilianoo

The clock is ticking, time is passing, the fans' anxiety is at its limit, and Al Hilal, the only one capable of giving a definitive answer about whether or not Marcos Leonardo will come to São Paulo, is handling the matter, urgent due to the transfer window limit, with a calm considered "impressive" by sources from the Morumbi club heard by AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR.

Well, late this Tuesday afternoon (2), the Saudi club decided to meet a request from the forward and his agent for a joint meeting between them and the São Paulo board.

>> IS MARCOS LEONARDO COMING? Lucas and São Paulo store make mysterious comments: “Negotiating, but...”

>> URGENT: SÃO PAULO AGREES ON RIGONI'S RETURN, FOURTH REINFORCEMENT OF THE NEW CRESPO ERA AT THE CLUB

>> HE'S BACK: REMEMBER RIGONI'S GOALS AND PLAYS WITH THE SÃO PAULO SHIRT

>> SÃO PAULO CONSIDERS LOW VALUES AND REFUSES FOREIGN OFFERS FOR PATRYCK

>> LUAN RECEIVES TWO PROPOSALS TO LEAVE SÃO PAULO: PLAYER WANTS TO STAY, BUT...

The response is distressing: Al Hilal quietly listened to the justifications from Marcos Leonardo, his agent, and the tricolors. In the end, they responded that they need more time to give a definitive answer about whether or not to release the player on loan to São Paulo until December.

The problem, evidently, is time. The Tricolor has only until 11:59 PM (Brasília time) to submit the release document for the forward and thus register him in time before the window closes.

The Saudi promise is that a response will be given before this time. Whether or not it comes with the expected and dreamed-of document eagerly awaited by more than 20 million tricolors worldwide.

One of the most dramatic points of the meeting was Al Hilal's statement that they have an offer from another Saudi club for the forward's loan, so they need to assess what is best for them with a team asset. It's important to note that Marcos Leonardo has already refused to stay in the Asian country.

The more than clear message that the 22-year-old forward really wants to experience a Copa Libertadores night at Morumbi was given on Monday (1).

In a meeting with Al Hilal's directors, the ex-Santos player was clear in telling the Saudis that he is not interested in any other proposal than São Paulo's, even those from abroad. And that, for this, he will help in the negotiation.

The young forward communicated that if Al Hilal loans him to the Tricolor, he will forgo receiving a salary of around R$ 2.7 million until the end of the year, including bonuses and signing fees he would be entitled to. Therefore, he accepts the offer from the Morumbi club for the period (a much smaller amount).

The obvious counterpart is Al Hilal agreeing to loan him for free to São Paulo until the end of December.

Marcos Leonardo was not registered in the Saudi Championship due to the foreign player limit, which motivates the loan to avoid inactivity. For Al Hilal, releasing the player means saving resources with an athlete not in coach Simone Inzaghi's plans.

Playing in Brazil could increase the forward's value for future sales, especially if he stands out in competitions like the Copa Libertadores or is called up for the Brazilian National Team.

Before Marcos Leonardo's surprising positive response, the Tricolor was already pessimistic about finding a replacement for the forward position after failed initial attempts with Marcelo Ryan, Pedro Rocha, and Marcos Leonardo himself, before the case's turnaround.

Marcos Leonardo has been standing out in the 'Arab world'. He was one of the highlights of Al Hilal's campaign in the Club World Cup and finished as the tournament's top scorer, with four goals in five games. For the club, he has 49 matches, 29 goals, and three assists in total. He was signed for a hefty fee from Benfica in September 2024, for 40 million euros, with a contract until June 2029.

He would come to São Paulo to solve everyone's problem: the Tricolor, which needs a forward, the athlete who needs to play to be remembered by Carlo Ancelotti, and Al Hilal, which couldn't register the star and doesn't lose the visibility of its piece in the market.

Without him and two other options (Calleri and Ryan Francisco, who are also at Reffis), Hernán Crespo has to field the attack, as a natural forward, the compatriot Dinneno, a name that came from Cruzeiro when the coach was still Luis Zubeldía, who even recommended him to the Tricolor (a fact, by the way, that may contribute to his low usage with the new coach).

Besides Dinneno, players can be improvised, like the wingers Ferreirinha and Tapia, as well as Luciano, who can play roles like a false 9.

With a spending cap and budget limit, the Tricolor has difficulties going to the market for a name to strengthen its ranks. The option is for someone free in the market or arriving on loan. Time is of the essence, as the transfer window closes on September 2.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.