The 18-year-old Brazilian signed a contract renewal at Vila Belmiro on April 17 extending his deal until 2031, his representatives having been given assurances about first-team opportunities.
Those assurances have not materialised. Head coach Cuca decided to send Robinho Jr down to the Under-20 squad to recover his rhythm and match sharpness — a decision his camp rejected outright, arguing that the player had already completed his development phase and deserved to stay and compete for a senior role.
Former Santos player and ex-Manchester City midfielder Elano, now working in the club's football department, personally attempted to mediate between the player's entourage and the coaching staff. The intervention did not resolve the standoff.
His last competitive appearance was an eight-minute cameo in the Copa Sudamericana defeat to Deportivo Cuenca. He has made eight appearances across all competitions this season. Santos, who sit close to the relegation zone in the Brasileirão and are bottom of their Copa Sudamericana group, have made the playing-time dispute more difficult to resolve simply by performing poorly enough that first-team opportunities are hard to justify for a player in his current physical condition.
The irony noted within the Brazilian press is that Robinho Jr's loss of value due to inactivity actually makes him cheaper to buy — precisely the circumstance that facilitates Inter Milan's approach. The Nerazzurri have been tracking him since January when they prepared an opening bid of €18million. No formal offer has been submitted in recent weeks but sources close to the club confirm the interest remains active.
Cristian Chivu's coaching staff reportedly identified Robinho Jr as a long-term project investment — a left winger with pace, directness and Ligue-quality technical foundation, still raw enough to be developed without paying a premium.
The player's father is Robinho, the former Real Madrid, AC Milan and Brazil international, currently serving a nine-year prison sentence in Brazil. The shadow that carries for any player navigating a public career is considerable. Robinho Jr's talent has been compared to his father's at the equivalent age — which makes the dispute at Santos all the more frustrating for those who believe he should be playing, not sitting out.