Artur Jorge arrived in Belo Horizonte this Monday to take over as the head coach of Cruzeiro, a club with which he signed a contract valid until the end of 2027. The coach, who comes from Al Rayyan in Qatar, expressed confidence in reversing the team's poor performance, currently sitting at the bottom of the Brasileirão. Upon his arrival, Artur Jorge expressed his enthusiasm for the new challenge. 'It is a pleasure to be here. I am happy to return to Brazil and to join a project at Cruzeiro, a project that motivates me. We have a lot ahead of us, but that will not be a problem. We will turn around the situation we are in,' assured the coach, who indicated that he does not currently intend to request reinforcements. 'I believe in my players, and we will work with them to unleash the true Cruzeiro,' he stated, calling for support from the fans. The agreement with the Portuguese coach had been sealed since last Thursday. His arrival, initially scheduled for Sunday to attend the match against Santos, was delayed due to bureaucratic issues in Qatar. The coaching staff accompanying Artur Jorge, consisting of André Cunha, João Cardoso, Rodrigo Mira, and Tiago Lopes, was expected in Belo Horizonte on Monday. The first contact with the squad will take place on Wednesday at the Toca da Raposa training center, as the players are currently on break due to international commitments. The official presentation to the press is scheduled for Thursday, according to Globo Esporte. To secure the signing, Cruzeiro negotiated with Al Rayyan to reduce the release clause, which was initially set at 6 million euros. The final agreement established a payment of 2.5 million euros to be paid in installments over two years, which expedited the process. Artur Jorge succeeds Tite, who took over from Leonardo Jardim (now at Flamengo), and was dismissed after a draw with Vasco da Gama, coached by Nuno Moreira. He faces the immediate task of lifting Cruzeiro from the 20th position in the league, where the team has only three points from four draws and four losses, without any wins.
Artur Jorge Belo Horizonte remains central to this story.
Artur Jorge Belo Horizonte remains central to this story.
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