The difficulty in renewing the contract of Lucas Lima will force Santos to sell the playmaker in the upcoming European transfer window.
The bond of the attacking midfielder ends in December 2017 and he’s legally free to reach an agreement with any interested team from the middle of next year, without any profit for Santos. Concerned with this possibility, president Modesto Roma Júnior recently offered €110,000 per month in wages to Lucas Lima, but received no response. It’s worth noting that the salary-cap at the club is €70,000. Santos own just 10% of Lucas Lima’s economic rights, while Doyen has 80% and his former agent, Édson Khodor, owns another 10%. As mentioned by Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola, there is a clause in the contract between Santos and Doyen that forces the club to pay €1.5 million to the investment group if the player is not sold within December 31. This was a formula found by Doyen to guard against the possibility of Lucas Lima staying until the end of the bond, which would represent total loss.
Santos vice-president César Conforti admitted that the club may be forced to sell Lucas: “If we don’t do it now, he will sign a pre-contract in July and leave for free at the end of next year. There’s absolutely nothing for Lucas Lima right now. Neither a proposal nor an enquiry. We are waiting.”
In the transfer window last summer, Lucas Lima rejected an offer from Premier League side Crystal Palace, who had offered €20 million. Agent Wagner Ribeiro said: “Lucas has always wanted a club that play in the UEFA Champions League. It’s his dream.”
After the publication of the article, Santos president Modesto Roma contacted the blog of the journalist Jorge Nicola through his press-office to ensure that he still counts on the contract renewal of Lucas Lima.