694 Brazilian football players to land Europe

BRASILIA, Aug. 31 -- In total, 694 Brazilian football players will abandon their clubs in the country to land Europe, after the end of the summer transfer period of European leagues.

From June to August 31, all the principal Brazilian clubs would rather close their eyes because they could not offer the same salary proposed by European clubs, principal destination of young Brazilian football players.

The most brilliant one would be International’s 17-year-old forward Alexandre Pato. AC Milan paid 20 million U.S. dollars to sign the young Brazilian who will get an annual salary of 2.5 million U.S. dollars from his Italian boss.

Though leader actually of the Brazilian Championship, Sao Paulo is unable to keep its players from leaving. Ilsinho will join the Shakhtar Donetsk club in Ukraine, midfield Josue will transfer to Bundesliga club Wolfsburg, and Lenilson will play with Jaguares of Mexico.

Botafogo, the runner-up in the state league of Rio de Janeiro, should see off its best goal scorer, Andre Lima, who will join the Hertha Berlin club in Germany.

Santos' Ze Roberto has long time ago announced his return to Europe. He signed with Bayern Munich and the promising midfield Cleber Santana already started to vest the shirt of Spain's Atletico de Madrid.

One of the clubs who suffer the most is Gremio. It sold to Liverpool young star Lucas, also release goalkeeper Cassio to PSV Heindoveen and Lucio to Hertha Berlin and forward Carlos Eduardo to Hoffenhein.

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva recently said a new law is being drafted to curb the exodus of talent.

In an interview published last Sunday by the daily O Estado de Sao Paulo, Lula pointed out that the law prepared by football legend Pele, which allows players above 18 years old to choose clubs, should be revised.

"It's absurd: in Brazil, you could not find a player under 20 years, nor a player above 30 years ... because players under 20 years go to those great clubs in Europe and players above 30 years choose Japan as destination", said Lula.