Former manager tells how Memphis became a target for Corinthians after standoffs with Balotelli and Gabigol

- By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial

Pedro Silveira, former financial director of Corinthians, once again commented on the behind-the-scenes of the signing of Memphis Depay precisely at a time when the striker is negotiating the renewal of his contract with the club. The Dutchman, hired in September 2024, arrived at Parque São Jorge amid a delicate scenario on the field, with the team facing difficulties in the Brazilian Championship.

According to the former director, the board understood that it needed to use the R$57 million provided for in the contract signed with Esportes da Sorte to bring in a player with great media appeal. Before arriving at Memphis' name, however, other athletes were analyzed by the black and white department. Among them were the Italian Mauro Balotelli and Gabigol, who at the time was still playing for Flamengo. Despite talks initiated with both, none of the negotiations progressed.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

"I was one of the people who led this within Corinthians. To give some context, we had just renewed our sponsorship with Esportes da Sorte and there was a budget of R$57 million for two years destined for a media star. So, we needed to find someone with a very big impact, who would come to Corinthians and unlock this money from the contract", he began during his participation in the Humans of Faria Lima Podcast.

"The first name that came up was Balotelli. We had initial conversations, but, obviously, it didn't make financial sense. The second name tried was Gabigol, but he still had a contract with Flamengo. We started a conversation, but it didn't progress. Time passed, the mid-year window was closing and, as there was no statutory football director, but only the executive director, who was Fabinho, I and other directors ended up playing the role of football director together with the president", he added.

The turning point in the search for reinforcement came after a defeat to Fortaleza. Uncomfortable with the team's situation in the Brasileirão, managers started looking for alternatives available on the market. It was then that Memphis' name came up in a search carried out on Transfermarkt, a platform specializing in transfers and player statistics. From there, the first contacts with Dutch representatives began.

"I remember it was after a defeat. Corinthians were in 18th place in the championship. It was a Sunday, around 10pm, when my phone rang. It was one of the directors. We started talking: 'Man, Corinthians don't score goals, it's difficult'. We had lost 1-0 to Fortaleza. So we said: 'We need to find someone. Let's use that budget from Esportes da Sorte'", said Silveira.

"We started looking. We went online and searched for 'player with a free pass'. Then the name of Memphis appeared. We went to Transfermarkt, a website that shows players' values, we got the email of his lawyers, who at the time also acted as his representatives. We sent the email at 10:30 pm, Brazilian time: 'Hi, how are you? This is Pedro Silveira, CFO of Corinthians. I would like to talk about Memphis Depay. We really wanted him to play for Corinthians and we would like to set up a meeting with you. I already had. We went to sleep with our heads full and woke up the next day with the answer: 'Let's talk'. The meeting was scheduled for 5:30 pm in Europe, 12:30 pm in Brazil, and the conversations began", he continued.

According to Pedro Silveira, one of the biggest obstacles during the negotiations was convincing the attacker's staff that Corinthians would be able to fulfill the financial commitments made. The former manager also recalled that the contract was structured with targets and bonuses for performance, clauses that subsequently increased the amounts owed to the player.

"The lawyers asked: 'Corinthians doesn't pay. We're seeing this in all the newspapers'. Then I replied: 'As long as I'm here, I guarantee it. You can trust that we will have the resources to pay'. It took a week or two of negotiations. We were at the limit of what we could offer", he highlighted.

"So much so that we don't pay for gloves. With the free pass, Memphis could ask for a glove, because it had market value. We said: 'We don't have money for this. We'll put some value in if you reach targets'. And then he went there and achieved all his goals, more than expected, more than imagined", he added.

Another notable episode occurred when a proposal from Saudi football entered the dispute for the striker. According to Silveira, the offer was significantly higher than that of Corinthians. Even so, a statement from the Dutch national team coach, Ronald Koeman, ended up influencing the outcome of the negotiations.

"There came a point in the negotiation when the representatives said: 'Saudi Arabia's proposal is almost double yours. It's obvious that the player would rather go to Brazil than to Saudi Arabia, but if you don't improve something, there's no way.' I hung up the phone and asked for some time to think about what we would do. Talking internally at Corinthians, we understood that there was nothing more we could do. We were at our limit", he commented.

"The next day, Holland's squad came out. Memphis already knew he wouldn't be in it. However, there was one player who had left Ajax to play in Saudi Arabia and was left off the list. They asked Ronald Koeman why, and he replied: 'For me, anyone who goes to Saudi Arabia has lost their sense of sport and will no longer be called up'. The guy made this statement right in the middle of our negotiation. A short time later, my phone rang. I maintained my position and said I would not improve the proposal. Conclusion: we managed to close the contract", he recalled.

When taking stock of the Dutchman's time at Parque São Jorge, Pedro Silveira classified the signing as one of the club's biggest recent successes. For him, the sporting and financial gains exceeded the costs involved in the operation.

"In my opinion, it was the best contract of the century after Ronaldo, because it generated a huge financial return. People usually only look at the cost of the operation, but what about the return? There was appreciation for other players, increased revenue, box office growth and, most importantly, help to avoid relegation. If the team falls, it loses at least R$500 million in revenue from one season to the next. Without a doubt, the Memphis case at Corinthians was a great success", concluded Pedro Silveira.

Since arriving at Parque São Jorge, Memphis Depay has played 79 games for Corinthians, with 20 goals scored and 15 assists distributed. The number 10's current contract is valid until July 31, but the black and white board has already presented a proposal to extend the contract, and is awaiting the player's definition of his future.

The post Former director tells how Memphis became a target for Corinthians after standoffs with Balotelli and Gabigol first appeared on Central do Timão.

The content Ex-director tells how Memphis became a target for Corinthians after standoffs with Balotelli and Gabigol appears first in Central do Timão.

Source: Timao Central