Coach Jorge Jesus sees in the red-black athlete an attacking profile compatible with his tactical proposal at Al-Nassr
Jorge Jesus‘ recent arrival as head coach of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr resulted in a direct request: the signing of Ayrton Lucas, currently under contract with Flamengo until 2027. The Portuguese coach, who had a memorable stint with the Rio de Janeiro club, named the left-back as a priority target in the mid-year transfer window. As revealed by journalist Julio Miguel Neto, the Saudi board is preparing an official proposal to present to the Brazilian club.
Ayrton Lucas’s History and Value
The 27-year-old defender was signed permanently by the Rubro-Negro after an initial loan spell from Spartak Moscow in 2022. The Rio de Janeiro club paid approximately R$39 million to secure his economic rights.
Since then, the number 6 has made 186 appearances, scoring 15 goals, and providing 20 assists for the first team.
Obstacles to negotiations with Flamengo
Despite Jorge Jesus’ intentions, Flamengo’s management has no plans to facilitate his release. The player is currently valued at R$45 million (approximately €7 million), and any approach from Cristiano Ronaldo’s team will be treated firmly. Internally, the board plans to discuss the possibility of a sale only after formally receiving the offer, which had not yet been filed as of Tuesday (15).
Ayrton Lucas’s fitness and competition in the squad
Ayrton Lucas has been in flux since the arrival of Alex Sandro midway through last season. The experienced full-back has taken over as a starter, relegating the former Fluminense player to the bench. To make matters worse, the number 6 suffered an 8-centimeter cut on his left leg during the 2-0 victory over São Paulo last Sunday (13), and will be out of the team’s game against Santos, scheduled for Wednesday (16) at 8 pm, at Vila Belmiro.
Jorge Jesus’ technical justifications
The desire to count on Ayrton Lucas is directly related to the style of play Jorge Jesus desires for Al-Nassr. The coach sees the full-back as having an attacking profile compatible with his tactical approach.
