Negotiations between Flamengo and Peñarol concerning a potential loan transfer for Nicolás de la Cruz have concluded. The player's representatives, Faro Sports, released a statement announcing the termination of the talks, citing disagreements over the deal's format as the reason. The statement also conveyed gratitude towards Peñarol for their interest, respect, and professionalism, and mentioned the efforts of officials Marcelo Solomita and Fernando Jacobo. The statement added that despite the willingness of all parties involved, the operation could not be finalized at this time. According to ESPN, Flamengo stated that negotiating for a player on a loan basis without receiving a fee, while also paying part of the salaries, did not make sense.

De la Cruz has a proposal from Peñarol, according to Globo.com. The initial offer was not satisfactory, but the parties are trying to reach conditions that satisfy everyone. The athlete has already expressed his desire to leave and so far, there has been no decision.

Peñarol president Ignacio Ruglio stated that he is in conversations with Flamengo to try to sign De la Cruz. Ruglio said he maintains contact with De la Cruz, who desires to play for his childhood club. According to Ruglio, conversations have been ongoing for almost 25 days, and a letter of intent was sent 10 days ago. The president described the negotiation as very difficult to complete, citing that De la Cruz wants to come under Uruguayan conditions, not those of Flamengo. Ruglio noted that Flamengo paid a very large amount for the player, acquiring him in 2024 for US$ 16 million, with the total cost surpassing R$ 102 million including taxes and commissions. De la Cruz’s contract with Flamengo runs until the end of 2028. Ruglio confirmed De la Cruz’s desire to join Peñarol and mentioned the intention is to sign him for at least one year as a reinforcement for the 2027 Libertadores or Sudamericana. He said that at this moment there is nothing beyond the intention to bring the player, and no negotiation is close to being finalized. Ruglio also relayed that De la Cruz is physically fit and ready to play, as communicated by the player himself.

ESPN BR reports that Peñarol has approached the representatives of De La Cruz to show interest in a potential return to Uruguayan football and is thinking about making a loan offer. The situation is said to be still in an early stage. Should an offer be made, the terms will be analyzed by Flamengo's management. Peñarol's preference is for a loan deal for De La Cruz, but the club could only pay for a portion of his salary. A condition for the deal to proceed is that Flamengo would need to cover about half of De La Cruz's salary, a factor described as decisive for a potential release.