Cuibano
Nottingham Forest are yet to see Cuiabano play a single senior minute for them, but the defender’s situation is now moving quickly in Brazil after his strong start at Vasco da Gama.
Just yesterday we covered how the 23-year-old has been thriving since arriving on loan. He has five direct goal contributions in his last four matches and is growing into a key attacking outlet. That run includes a standout display against Grêmio, where he provided two assists.
All of this is happening after a strange start to his Forest career. Cuiabano joined the club, never featured, spent time back at Botafogo on loan, returned to Nottingham Forest, and still did not play. He then moved to Vasco in January, again on loan, and has taken off.
Now, there is movement off the pitch as well.
Vasco president confirms desire to sign Cuiabano
Cuiabano’s performances have already triggered discussion about a permanent move, and that has now been addressed publicly.
Speaking this morning in Brazil, Vasco president Pedrinho confirmed the club are actively working towards buying players in this situation, including the Nottingham Forest loanee.
“All these players where we have the option to trigger a purchase clause, obviously, if they fit within our budget, we will do it,” he said.
He made it clear that Cuiabano is part of that plan, even if the financial structure needs to be carefully managed.
“Our desire is for that to happen. We are already structuring things in the best possible way, in terms of budget, so we can do it.”
There is, however, a specific complication in Cuiabano’s case.
“The Cuiabano situation is a bit more special, because his loan runs until the middle of the year and we need to exercise the option before that.”
That timing issue is closely linked to how Brazilian football operates. The domestic season follows a calendar-year model, running from January to December, unlike the Premier League cycle.
As a result, Vasco’s financial picture for the full year typically only becomes clearer towards November or December, which limits their ability to commit early in the year.
Pedrinho also opened the door to an alternative solution if Vasco are not ready in time.
“If that doesn’t happen, we will try to extend the loan until the end of the year to have more time to negotiate. But he is a player we want to sign, if possible.”
Marinakis’ planning vs reality
Evangelos Marinakis
It’s not easy to say if the situation is developing as Evangelos Marinakis hoped, but surely it’s going faster than expected.
The loan deal includes a purchase option worth around €10m (£8.6m). At the time, that looked like a way to protect value while giving the player minutes.
Now, with Cuiabano performing consistently and attracting attention, that clause is becoming central to the next step.
Nottingham Forest still have no internal assessment of him at senior level. Meanwhile, Vasco are building a case to keep him permanently.
Our take: Signals are clear for Nottingham Forest
Of course timing will be key in this case. Vasco must decide whether to trigger the clause before the middle of the year or try to renegotiate the timeline. But the signals coming out of Brazil are becoming increasingly strong.
First, the president himself has now publicly stated the club want to sign Cuiabano. That alone shifts the situation from background interest to something much more concrete.
In addition, Vasco’s financial position is improving. The club recently agreed the sale of Rayan to Bournemouth for around €35m (£30m). That deal puts fresh money into their structure and increases the likelihood of them being able to act on purchase options.
Perhaps more importantly, there is a clear sporting factor. Cuiabano is playing regularly, producing decisive contributions and has effectively secured a starting role. Reports also suggest he is very happy in Rio de Janeiro.
All of this points towards a scenario where Vasco push hard to keep him, and where Cuiabano himself may prefer that outcome.
🇪🇸 Juan Miranda | Not the right time – Barcelona graduate on why he’s rejected Nottingham Foresthttps://t.co/EapRsKKxRt #nffc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) March 12, 2026