“Where I want to be” - Abel Ferreira resists lucrative Qatari offer to sign new Palmeiras deal | OneFootball

Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira has committed his future to Brazilian champions Palmeiras by signing a contract extension with the São Paulo club until December 2025.

Abel had a year left to run on his deal with Verdão but has prolonged his deal for another year, despite a remarkable offer from Qatari club Al Sadd during the South American close season.

“This is Palmeiras’ biggest transfer,” said president Leila Pereira when announcing the news on Tuesday. “I would like to inform you that we have renewed the contract with our coach Abel Ferreira until December 2025.

“It was a great desire of mine to keep such a winning coach, who has been with us for so long. And I think it’s great news for our fans, for the institution and for Abel and the technical team. I’m sure he is very happy, he believes in this continuity of the project

“It’s impossible to always win, but we will always be contenders by maintaining stability. Many journalists and fans ask me about signings and my focus has always been to keep those who, over the years, have shown stability in terms of their performance on the field.”

Various Portuguese outlets have revealed the details on the contract which has kept Abel in South America. Faced with the challenge of competing with Al Sadd’s offer to make the Penafiel-born man one of the best-paid coaches in the world, the Brazilians have increased his salary.

According to O Jogo, Abel will earn €12m (net) for the duration of the contract until December 2025, a remarkable increase on his first contract signed three years ago which paid around €1.2m per year. The Portuguese paper says there is a release clause of €8m.

“It was something that had already been discussed between me and our president,” Abel said. “It was something we both really wanted and I’m very happy that we were able to continue. I am very grateful for everything that Palmeiras offered me and I am also very grateful to Brazilian football, because it helps us to improve.

“I am a project coach and this is a club with a project. When all the conditions are met, when you are in a place where everyone wants you, where you want to be and where your family wants to continue, it is always much easier to make these types of decisions. Also thanks to our players: this is the fruit of their work.”

Since arriving in Brazil in October 2020, Abel has won nine trophies with the club, including back-to-back Brazilian titles and back-to-back Copa Libertadores crowns. Palmeiras are already back in training as they prepare to contest the Campeonato Paulista championship, which begins on Sunday with a trip to Novorizontino.

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