Peñarol negotiates loan of Flamengo midfielder Nicolás de la Cruz
Uruguayan club Peñarol has opened talks to bring midfielder Nicolás de la Cruz back from Brazil’s Flamengo. President Ignacio Ruglio confirmed that the 29‑year‑old, who joined Flamengo in 2024 for more than R$ 102 million (about US $16 million), has expressed a desire to return to Uruguay and get more playing time. The clubs are discussing a one‑year loan without a purchase option; Peñarol sent a letter of intent roughly ten days ago and negotiations have been ongoing for about 25 days. Flamengo has not issued an official response. De la Cruz’s contract with Flamengo runs until the end of 2028; he has made 94 appearances for the club, scoring four goals and providing seven assists. He featured in the 2026 World Cup for Uruguay, playing 83 minutes across three group‑stage matches.
Entities: Beşiktaş JK · Club Atlético Peñarol · Clube de Regatas do Flamengo · Flamengo · Ignacio Ruglio · Leonardo Jardim · Léo Pereira · Nicolás de la Cruz
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 7 SOURCES] Negotiations have been ongoing for about 25 days and a letter of intent was sent ten days ago. (Multiple Peñarol statements.)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The loan proposal would be for one year without a purchase option. (Peñarol officials and club statements.)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Peñarol is negotiating a loan of Nicolás de la Cruz from Flamengo. (Peñarol president Ignacio Ruglio and multiple reports.)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Nicolás de la Cruz’s contract with Flamengo runs until the end of 2028. (Club contract information reported in the media.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] De la Cruz has made 94 appearances for Flamengo, scoring four goals and providing seven assists. (Statistical summary from club records.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] He played 83 minutes across three matches for Uruguay at the 2026 World Cup. (World Cup match reports.)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Flamengo has not issued an official response to Peñarol’s loan proposal. (Club statements reported in the press.)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Flamengo paid more than R$ 102 million (approximately US $16 million) to acquire Nicolás de la Cruz in 2024. (Club financial reports and media coverage.)