Former Manchester United attacker Memphis Depay is expected to touch down in Brazil on Wednesday before finalising his shock switch to Corinthians.
But will the Dutchman be joined by a familiar face over in Brazil?
Will he find himself renewing acquaintences with a player who arrived at Old Trafford only a few weeks after his £31 million move from Lyon midway through the Louis van Gaal era at Manchester United?
A few days ago, such a question may have been greeted with a bit more optimism.
Fabrizio Romano reported on X that Flamengo had contacted Anthony Martial regarding a potential switch to one of the more successful South American clubs of recent times.
Flamengo, who are Copa Libertadores champions twice in the last five years , were on the lookout for a striker after losing star man Pedro to an ACL injury
But while Corinthians have now sealed a deal for Depay, per ESPN, Flamengo’s pursuit of another experienced free-agent is proving to be far more complicated.
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
Former Manchester United man Anthony Martial still a free-agent
According to O Dia, Martial’s representatives are holding out for nearly £70,000-a-week. Now, that might be a lot sight less than the Frenchman was taking home at Old Trafford, of course, but such a contract would still make Martial comfortably the best-paid player at Flamengo.
And Marcos Braz, the club’s president, did little to raise the hopes of the club’s supporters when praising the Pedro back-ups already at La Fla’s disposal.
“There is a lot of speculation,” Braz tells the club’s official website. “After Pedro’s story, I think it’s our duty to talk to the coach and technical committee to see if a replacement is really necessary.
“There is a lot of speculation. A lot of idle talk. But it is our obligation, it is our duty, to be aware of the market and see what is best for Flamengo.
“The window is practically over, and there are huge restrictions on signing players. We can only sign players if they are out of contract. When we analyse this, there are few players out of contract who can solve Flamengo’s problem.
“There is a player who has always solved all our problems, which is Gabigol (Gabriel Barbosa). There is Carlinhos. There is Bruno Henrique, who can also play as a number nine.”
Flamengo play down talk of Brazil move
Interestingly, Braz also indicated that Flamengo would decide on whether bringing in a new centre-forward by the close of play on Tuesday.
And with the Martial deal seemingly no closer at this stage, a player who left Manchester United at the start of July appears increasingly unlikely to end his almost two-and-a-half-month exile.
Martial started only five Premier League games in a typically injury-hit final season at United.
2021 French champions Lille have already ruled out bringing the former Monaco starlet back across the Channel, especially after another summer passed without the perennially gossip column-dwelling Jonathan David getting his big move.
“(Has there been) contact with Martial? No. Absolutely none,” Lille president Olivier Letang told DAZN. “I’m not in the habit of stockpiling players. We have Jonathan David, Mohamed Bayo, and Matias Fernandez-Pardo.
“That’s already three solutions for one position.”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
