Vágner Mancini discusses recent São Paulo moves and rumours | OneFootball

Vágner Mancini spoke to press for the first time as an employee of São Paulo this weekend from the United States.

The former Vitória manager was hired by the Paulistas as technical coordinator and traveled with the club for a pre-season tour.

Mancini spoke ahead of the Florida Cup about several topics including potential formations of manager André Jardine.

When asked about recent stories linking Alexandre Pato with a return to the Tricolor, Mancini certainly did not play down that speculation.

“It is another issue that also came up today. I am not yet aware of everything. Maybe in the course of the day we will define something.”

“But it’s a heavy name, no doubt. An outstanding athlete, who has played in São Paulo and who will certainly be analyzed with great attention.”

São Paulo’s technical director also fielded a question on Fluminense’s interest in acquiring Nenê and rebuffed any such discussion.

“I was not aware yet, but I’ll check the information. It is logical that the market is eyeing several athletes from São Paulo. We’ll have to analyze. Nenê is an important player within our style of play, an athlete who has played a lot of games, a high number of games, if we take into account the fact of age and how much he played.”

“You see he’s a distinguished athlete. I, in particular, have a lot of information to pass on and talk to Nenê, because I had the opportunity to play with him. So it is a friendship, a trust-based relationship of many years. Certainly, today I see it as a fundamental part. Of course we will sit down and analyze everything that comes up in terms of interest from other teams.”

Finally, Mancini praised the arrival of Willian Farias with whom he worked at Vitória, when he was manager.

“I think that Willian Farias has everything to help São Paulo, as well there are other players there who have also had some sort of consultations with me on other occasions,” the 52-year-old said.