Flamengo rush to register reinforcements for Copa debut | OneFootball

Flamengo are racing the clock to finalize their Copa do Brasil squad upgrades, with several new arrivals eligible for the upcoming round if paperwork is wrapped up in time, according to Globo.

The club has already presented right-back Emerson Royal and midfielder Saúl as its first reinforcements of the window. Royal, signed from Milan, was officially registered with the CBF’s player database (BID) on Tuesday morning and is available for selection in the last-16 tie against Atlético Mineiro at Maracanã. Saúl, on loan after time with Atlético de Madrid and Sevilla, has yet to be registered but Flamengo's technical staff is pushing to complete his paperwork before Wednesday’s deadline.

Flamengo also expect to announce forward Samuel Lino—who landed in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday—and midfielder Jorge Carrascal, set to arrive from Dynamo Moscow on Wednesday. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) allows clubs to register new players until one day before their first match of each Copa do Brasil round. For Flamengo, that deadline is Wednesday evening, hours before their opener on Thursday.

The club will have further opportunities to adjust the squad, as the CBF window for new registrations remains open until October 3, which is before the semi-finals, allowing a final round of changes as the tournament progresses.

However, eligibility does not guarantee immediate action. Royal has not played since a January injury with Milan, though he participated in preseason training in Europe. Saúl, who last featured in a competitive match for Sevilla in mid-May, trained alone for conditioning but did not work with a squad before joining Flamengo. According to manager Filipe Luís, both players will face a brief adaptation period and will “need more training before reaching full match condition.” He added that Royal is more advanced, having trained consistently, while Saúl’s individual sessions leave him slightly further behind.

Lino’s and Carrascal’s involvement will depend on how quickly the club can navigate the international transfer process, often lengthier than domestic moves. If registered on time, all four new signings may be available to at least join the matchday squad for Thursday’s opener, but their match fitness is likely to limit initial involvement—especially from the starting whistle.

Flamengo’s aggressive moves in the market underline their ambition for this Copa do Brasil run. The technical staff are focused on rapid integration but acknowledge player readiness may require gradual increases in minutes over several games.

(Sources: Globo)

Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images