Alexandre Pato has said it will be "very difficult" for him to remain in Brazil as he remained coy on his future amid speculation he could join Barcelona or a Premier League club in January.
Corinthians forward Pato, 26, has been on loan at Sao Paulo since 2014 but the deal is due to end next month and he has been linked with clubs including Barca, Tottenham and West Ham.
Corinthians have said they want to sell Pato and the former AC Milan star now appears set for a return to Europe.
Asked whether he would stay in Brazil, he told Radio Globo: "It's very difficult."
Pato had previously expressed a desire to stay on at Sao Paulo, but the club's new president, Leco, recently told Globo that financial reasons mean it will be hard for the club to keep him.
"I think I saw Leco saying in an interview that it would be very difficult for me to stay in Sao Paulo," Pato said. "I'm just trying to help them qualify for the Copa Libertadores."
He evaded a question on his future with Corinthians, saying: "I don't know what will happen. I have to give it my all right now but I don't know what will happen in the end. I just want to be able to go out with my head held high, having helped Sao Paulo qualify for the [Copa] Libertadores."
Pato, who has said he received an offer from Manchester United in the summer, denied he had already reached an agreement with a Premier League club.
"You've got it wrong," he said.
"I have five more games, but I cannot play against Corinthians [on Nov. 22]. I have to work. My goal is to help Sao Paulo qualify for the Libertadores next year. I am focused on this and later when I am on vacation I will consider things."
Barca boss Luis Enrique was last week asked whether his club would be interested in signing Pato but would not confirm the speculation either way.
"I don't follow the Brazilian league so cannot tell you how he is doing," he said.
He described Pato as "an important player who decided to return to his home country" but added: "It is not my custom to talk about players who are not at Barca."