Why São Paulo keep selling future stars too soon | OneFootball

São Paulo’s ongoing approach to player development and transfer strategy continues to spark debate, as the club has consistently sold academy talents before they could establish themselves with the senior team—often with fewer than 50 professional appearances, according to Arquibancada Tricolor and ge. The latest example unfolded last Friday, with 21-year-old Matheus Alves departing for CSKA Moscow after making just 12 first-team outings.

This transfer extends a trend that has seen 17 youngsters from Cotia moved on since 2021, many without significant minutes at Morumbi. Some, such as left-back Ângelo (sold to Strasbourg) and centre-backs Newerton (Shakhtar) and Morato (Benfica), had yet to even debut with the senior squad at the time of their sale. Ângelo, notably, is just 16 and will only leave for France once he turns 18—a situation that could still result in first-team action before his exit.

Among others shifting abroad or domestically early in their careers are William Gomes (Porto, 17 matches), Talles Costa (Polissya, 10), Nathan (RB Bragantino, 34), Marquinhos (Arsenal, 41), Luizão (West Ham, 20), and David Neres (Ajax, 8). Very few reached even half a season of league football before departing, with the likes of Tuta (Eintracht Frankfurt), and Talles Wander (AFS, 2) also moving on following brief or nonexistent senior exposure.

A handful did approach the 50-match threshold—Jonas Toró (Panathinaikos, 48) and Boschilia (Monaco, 45) among the most notable in terms of appearances—but the majority left at the beginning of their trajectories.

The club’s proactive stance in the transfer market is not confined to outright sales. João Moreira recently joined Porto on loan, and should the move be made permanent, he would become the 18th player sold with fewer than 50 senior games. As of now, Moreira has played 27 senior matches.

For São Paulo, these outbound deals reflect a delicate balance between immediate financial needs and a longer-term vision of developing players for the first team. The Cotia academy remains one of Brazil’s best-resourced youth setups, and the club’s pipeline continues to attract interest from abroad. Yet, the frequent sale of players with limited exposure to top-flight football inevitably raises questions about maximising both technical and commercial potential.

As transfer windows open across different continents and São Paulo search for on-field consistency, the club’s academy continues to produce attractive assets for international buyers—leaving fans to wonder if more patience with homegrown prospects could yield greater rewards for both player and club in the years ahead.

(Source: Arquibancada Tricolor, ge)

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