(foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Brazilian club Botafogo aimed to land Cristiano Ronaldo, but ultimately signed Benfica striker Arthur Cabral for €12 million ahead of the Club World Cup.
Botafogo had ambitious dreams of signing Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, but their attempt to lure the Portuguese legend failed. In the end, they secured a more realistic option from Europe — Arthur Cabral from Benfica.
The club's owner, John Textor, even offered Ronaldo a stake in his multi-club network, which includes Lyon and a share in Crystal Palace, but the proposal was ultimately turned down.
Botafogo then turned to 27-year-old Arthur Cabral, a Brazilian striker with solid experience in Europe. The Rio de Janeiro side paid €12 million to bring him in from Benfica. Cabral had previously played for Basel and Fiorentina, with his most prolific spell coming in Switzerland, where he scored 65 goals in 106 appearances.
The signing represents a different type of profile from Ronaldo but brings proven quality to the squad as Botafogo aims to make an impact on the world stage. The club has been one of Brazil's most aggressive spenders recently, investing €125 million in new signings over the last two seasons.