After almost eleven years of ignoring the Brazilian market to strengthen its squad, Club America has rediscovered its taste for Amazonian talent by being about to add its third reinforcement for the Clausura 2026 tournament with Fluminense midfielder Vinicius Lima. With just a few hours remaining before the transfer window closes, the Club America board has made significant progress in negotiations with Fluminense to finalize a loan deal for the Brazilian midfielder. This move aims to restructure the Eagles' squad and reinforce their title aspirations. Lima will arrive to fill the significant void left by Spaniard Alvaro Fidalgo, who transferred to Real Betis in Seville. Fidalgo's transfer left a gap in that crucial area of ??ball recovery and playmaking for America, making it a priority for Brazilian coach Andre Jardine to fill that position. Brazilian media outlets have begun reporting that talks between the two clubs are at an advanced stage. Ge Globo, in particular, highlighted that several aspects of the negotiation have already been resolved, suggesting that the player will sign with the Mexican team imminently and travel to Mexico to join the America squad. Regarding the details of the negotiation, It was confirmed that both the player and Fluminense agreed to a loan for the next eleven months, and depending on the player's performance, an option to buy the midfielder could be considered in a negotiation similar to the one that already has his compatriot Raphael Veiga with the Mexican team. Veiga and Veiga, along with Rodrigo Dourado, formed the Amazonian trio of the Eagles. The complications in the negotiation arose because Lima had a current contract with Fluminense, but after agreeing on the amounts and terms under the payment scheme that the Brazilian team had with the player, the new salary was simply adjusted, respecting the payment dates for the midfielder.

America and Fluminense held a meeting this Saturday, a series of negotiations that cleared contractual and administrative obstacles so that an agreement between both parties can be announced shortly.

Lima arrived at Fluminense three years ago from Ceara to help build a competitive squad to fight for the Copa Libertadores title, and since his arrival he has been an important addition to the Rio de Janeiro team, especially taking advantage of his versatility as a box-to-box midfielder, similar to Fidalgo, who can both defend and create attacking play.

The midfielder was used in various positions under the management of Fernando Diniz, and throughout his time with the team, he played as an attacking midfielder, winger, defensive midfielder, and even as a center back in specific situations, which increased his value within the squad.

On a collective level, Lima was part of the team that won the Championship Carioca and the CONMEBOL Libertadores in 2023, as well as the Recopa Sudamericana in 2024.

During his time at Fluminense, he played in 168 matches, scoring 16 goals and providing 10 assists in official competitions, making him an important player in the popular Brazilian club's system.

Importantly for Lima, he was specifically requested by Jardine, after being scouted by his assistants, who had included him on their list of options as potential reinforcements until finalizing the signing of the aforementioned midfielder.