Fluminense sheds entire 2022 squad with Willian Bigode’s departure

Marcos Felipe, Calegari, David Duarte, Matheus Ferraz and Cristiano (or Pineida); Wellington, Yago Felipe and Nathan; Matheus Martins, Caio Paulista and Willian Bigode. Players who would form a full roster and finish the 2022 season in the Fluminense they are no longer in the squad after three months of 2023 (Ferraz will be the last to leave in nine days, when his contract, which will not be renewed, ends).

While the Fluminense was very active in the market in this transfer window and hired 10 reinforcements (Giovanni, Keno, Lima, Vitor Eudes, Vitor Mendes, Guga, Jorge, Marcelo, Gabriel Pirani and Lelê), the opposite was also in the same proportion. Counting only the players who were part of the tricolor professional cast at the end of 2022, there are 12 exits in all. In common between them, almost all became the target of the crowd at some point, except Matheus Martins.

Wellington, Nathan and Pineida did not have their contracts renewed. Matheus Ferraz was also out of the plans, but his contract was extended until the end of March to complete the recovery from the injury to his right knee. Marcos Felipe, Calegari, David Duarte, Cristiano, Caio Paulista and Willian Bigode were loaned out, most of them with their clubs bearing most of the salaries, which represented savings on the Fluminense. And Yago Felipe and Matheus Martins were sold and yielded some money to the tricolor coffers.

The goalkeeper had already faced the distrust of the fans, but he started last season as a starter until he lost the position to Fábio. He only played nine games in 2022 and ran out of mood at the club after complaining about the barrage. In this window, he was loaned to Bahia for R$ 500 thousand.

The right-back started last season as a starter and even provided an assist for Cano in the first game of the final against Flamengo, when he was champion of Rio de Janeiro. But he later lost the position to Samuel Xavier, especially after the arrival of coach Fernando Diniz in May. He was used again in the final stretch of the year, but adapted on the left side. Altogether in 2022, there were 26 games, one goal and two assists. In 2023, still improvised, he started well, but got burned by the crowd when he invented taking a penalty and wasting the charge in a defeat by Botafogo. After that, he ended up on loan to Los Angeles Galaxy, from the United States, for €300,000 euros (R$1.6 million) until December, with a purchase option set at €2 million euros (R$11.2 million). .

Hired in 2022, the defender never established himself in the Fluminense. Reserve for the entire season, he played just 11 games and provided one assist with the tricolor shirt. Contested by the tricolors, the defender in this window was loaned to Bahia for R$ 500 thousand.

Fifth option for the defense last season, the defender only played one game in 2022. In the middle of last year, he had a serious injury to his right knee during training and needed surgery. Unable to release an injured player, as required by law, the Fluminense then renewed the contract for another three months for him to complete the recovery. He will leave the club in nine days.

Hired in 2022 under great expectations after shining for Sheriff, from Moldova, in the Champions League against the powerful Real Madrid, from Spain, the left-back did not succeed in Fluminense. In all, there were 35 games, one goal and one assist, but he lived with boos from the crowd. In this window, he ended up on loan to Chapecoense.

The Ecuadorian left-back was also hired last season, on loan from Barcelona de Guayaquil, Ecuador. But he ended up playing even less than Cristiano: there were only 24 games, with one assist, and frequent complaints from fans. At the end of the bond, he returned to his parent club at the end of 2022.

The steering wheel came to be used more in the beginning of Fernando Diniz in Fluminense, but he was one of the most pursued by the fans and played only 22 games last season, with one assist with the tricolor shirt. He did not have the bond renewed at the end of the contract in December and is currently without a club on the market.

Holder in many moments of last year (including the start in the final stretch that qualified the team for Libertadores), the defensive midfielder was already a kind of darling of the fans and ended the season with 45 games and five assists. He kept the title in early 2023, but was barred and even booed against Audax-RJ at Maracanã. After five matches, he ended up being sold to Bahia for around R$10 million.

Loaned by Atlético-MG last season, the midfielder arrived surrounded by expectations, however, did not live up to the height. Of the 38 games he played for the club, only 14 were in the starting line-up, but he scored three goals and provided two assists. O Fluminense even reached an agreement with Galo to renew the loan for 2023, but the player disappeared during the holidays and did not reappear with the squad, causing the tricolor board to give up the deal.

Like Yago Felipe, the striker also fluctuated and ended last season as the team’s starter, but without being scolded by the fans. The boy played 41 games, with six goals and six assists with the tricolor shirt. Performance that made Udinese, from Italy, invest € 6 million fixed euros (R$ 32.6 million) and € 3 million euros (R$ 16.3 million) of possible bonuses to hire the player, who in a first moment was loaned to Watford, from England.

He was one of the most persecuted by the fans. He also started last season as a substitute, but gained momentum under coach Fernando Diniz playing in another position: left-back. The improvised winger closed 2022 with 44 matches, two goals and four assists, but saw criticism increase in the sector. In 2023, he even entered one of the games, but left on loan to São Paulo.

Another who arrived with great expectations from the crowd at the beginning of last year, but who never managed to live up to them in the Fluminense: there were six goals and five assists in 52 games, but only 17 of them as a starter. He had been the reserve most used by coach Fernando Diniz and entered the field five more times in 2023 with the tricolor shirt. After the cryptocurrency controversy with former Palmeiras teammates, the striker requested release and was loaned to Athletico-PR.

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