FRISCO — As FC Dallas' Chief Soccer Officer and Technical Director, Andre Zanotta is used to batting away transfer rumors during the summer. He's not as accustomed to being the focus of them.
Yet during a transfer window that has been relatively quiet for FCD, Zanotta's name has popped up more than most FCD players as a potential departure.
Zanotta said he was approached by Santos, his former employer, and by 777 Partners about a role with recently acquired Vasco da Gama. Before the summer, Internacional wanted Zanotta to return to Brazil. For now, though, his future is still in North Texas.
"I feel honored they think of my name and consider myself for the position," he told The Striker on Tuesday. "For me, it's always great to hear from such big clubs, but I'm so happy here. I have a contract until the end of next year, and I don't feel like moving right now is the right thing for me. I'm not considering any move at this point."
The director said he still has more to offer to FCD, though he can point to a number of achievements that no doubt will mean offers from Brazil and elsewhere will continue to arrive.
Zanotta has advanced FCD's strategy of selling players from the academy to European teams for big transfer fees, with Ricardo Pepi, Chris Richards, Bryan Reynolds and Tanner Tessmann bringing in fees upwards of a combined $30 million. The team still is getting more out of that group, with Richards set to move from Bayern Munich to Crystal Palace this summer and FCD retaining a portion of the sell-on fee.
But he's also designed contracts, like the extension signed by Pepi months before his sale and the 2020 deal agreed to by Reggie Cannon, in a way that sees the players stay at FCD for longer than perhaps they would have with the club — then incentivized to move them on when it suits the player.
With the revenue from the Pepi sale, Zanotta brought winger Alan Velasco in from Independiente as FCD's all-time record signing. He also made forward Jesus Ferreira the club's first homegrown player to become a designated player and sent a record amount of allocation money to D.C. United to acquire winger Paul Arriola.
That trio has formed FCD's starting attacking trident this season. They've helped FCD start 2022 on a good note, staying in the playoff places more than halfway through the season.
Despite that success and the interest from abroad, Zanotta said he doesn't have a clear plan for his own future beyond his current contract with FCD.
"I don't like to plan too much ahead. I like to live what I'm living now. There are not many Brazilians in my position, working abroad in clubs and important leagues like MLS. For me, it's such a big challenge to be here," he said. "I feel I have a lot of trust from Dan, from Clark," referring to the Hunts in the ownership group. "And I feel that I still have a lot to give here. I need to work a lot harder to make this club more successful. So who knows what's going to happen?
"Obviously, Europe is very seducing when you have something, but right now I just want to focus here and my contract maybe. The World Cup is coming to the U.S., so it would be great to participate in the whole cycle leading to 2026. So, I'm not thinking of leaving FC Dallas anytime soon."