Junior Santos at Corinthians? See the possibility of negotiating the Galo striker - News Room USA

Corinthians is focused on signing striker Junior Santos, from Atlético-MG, for the 2026 season. According to journalist Jorge Nicola, since last week, Timão and Galo have been in talks to facilitate the player’s arrival on loan.

Junior Santos, who was a standout for Botafogo in winning the 2024 Libertadores, appears as a viable and impactful alternative for the black and white offensive sector. The Corinthians board welcomes the possibility of having an experienced and decisive player.

MORE: Is it true that Danilo, from Botafogo, will play for Flamengo? See what is known

Will Junior Santos play for Corinthians?

Negotiations between the parties involve a loan until the end of the season, with no transfer costs for the São Paulo club, which makes the operation more attractive from a financial point of view.

Within the discussed agreement, Atlético-MG would pay a small part of the athlete’s salaries. Last season, Galo invested around 8 million euros in signing Junior Santos from Botafogo.

The value was justified by the striker’s impressive performance in 2024, when he scored 20 goals in 50 matches and was a key player in winning the Libertadores and the Brazilian Championship.

According to Jorge Nicola, the possible signing depends on the final approval of Dorival Júnior. If the coach approves the name, Junior Santos could be announced this week as Timão’s new reinforcement.

Other options analyzed by Corinthians are considered more complex. Players like Cebolinha and Michael involve high salaries and would require financial compensation from Flamengo, which makes it difficult for negotiations to move forward.

Furthermore, Junior Santos arrives with the advantage of being fully recovered from physical problems that hindered his performance in the 2025 season. The striker was the last Atlético-MG player to go on vacation precisely to complete the treatment and start 2026 in full physical condition.