Before pursuing another goalkeeper, Internacional negotiated with José Contreras, a 31-year-old Venezuelan and Colombian international from the Ecuadorian club Barcelona de Guayaquil. The team from Rio Grande do Sul had an offer rejected, and the financial details of the proposal were not confirmed. Contreras has 12 caps for Venezuela, joined his current club in January 2025, and has a contract until the end of 2026. He has made 17 appearances in the LigaPro Serie A for the 2025/2026 season. His current market value is €1.00m, according to Transfermarkt.