Real Salt Lake Target Signs New Deal With Brazilian Club, More Rumors Emerging

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It was reported last week that Brazilian phenom Mateus Vital, 23, was linked with a move to Real Salt Lake. However, a new report suggests that Vital has signed a contract extension with his current club and will not be joining RSL ahead of the 2021 MLS season, according to Brazilian media outlet Supervasco.

Alvo do Real Salt Lake, Mateus Vital deve permanecer no Corinthians https://t.co/npGadCkHUm

— SuperVasco (@SuperVasco) March 5, 2021

Vital currently plays for Brazilian top-flight club Corinthians and it was suggested that RSL was looking to purchase Vital via a loan with an option to purchase. Supervasco reports that RSL offered Corinthians $3.8 million to purchase Vital following his loan stint, but, the board felt that the number was too low.

Vital signed a contract extension with Corinthians that will keep the youngster in Brazil until 2023. In Vital’s 158 games thus far with Corinthians, he has scored 10 goals.

Real Salt Lake Ahead Of 2021 Season

Real Salt Lake will begin preseason training on March 8th. The club is still without an owner and is under the watchful eye of the league as it attempts to navigate transfer targets.

Manager Freddy Juarez is optimistic that the 2021 season will bring more success. In his debut season at the helm, RSL finished second-to-last in the Western Conference. However, off-the-field scandals and disruptions played a role and the club subsequently missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

More Rumors

The club has been linked with Anderson Julio, an Ecuadorian winger who is currently playing for Liga MX club Atlético San Luis. Two years ago, when Julio was still playing for a smaller club in Ecuador, he chose Atlético San Luis despite interest, and an offer, from RSL. His time at Atlético San Luis has not panned out as well as he had hoped and the winger is now rumored to join RSL yet again.

Anderson Julio irá a la #MLS https://t.co/VfzRhFS0um

— StudioFútbol (@StudioFutbol) March 3, 2021

Former RSL winger Jefferson Savarino is being linked with a loan move to Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors. If Savarino’s current club Atlético Mineiro sell Savarino, RSL will receive 40% of the transfer fee.