Cruzeiro’s owner admits interest in Gerson, from Zenit, but emphasizes: “Expensive player”

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“He’s a great player and we’re interested in him. Gerson is of interest to any team in Brazil. Cruzeiro is no different,” he said to Central da Toca.

“Now, there’s a huge difference between being interested and signing him. He’s an expensive player, he went there (for a very high price). I’ll tell you, we want him, he’s a great player.”

Zenit prioritizes an immediate financial return, having invested €25 million in the player less than six months ago. The club is considering the possibility of including Jonathan Jesus in the negotiations. The defender was targeted by the Russian team with a proposal of around €10 million (R$ 65 million).

Besides the issue involving the Russian club, known in the market for difficult negotiations, Cruzeiro would also need to reach an agreement with Gerson. His earnings in Russia are higher than the salaries of all the players in the current Cruzeiro squad. Furthermore, the player’s representatives have indicated an interest in receiving compensation for the transfer.

With negotiations underway, Pedro Lourenço stated that Cruzeiro is looking for specific signings during the transfer window and does not intend to sell any of the club’s important assets.

First of all, we need a specific player. We already have a great squad, we need someone to help them. Today, we have a well-organized team. The Copa Libertadores is coming up, which is tough, but we have a spectacular team, we are very happy with the team we have. So, it’s one or two players in the positions we think we need. We’re not going to sell players to buy them, or do anything crazy. We’re going to act within the reality of our Cruzeiro.