João Marcelo set for move to Arabia | OneFootball

Atlético has arranged the sale of forward João Marcelo to Arab football. The information was first reported by journalist Venê Casagrande, who revealed the agreement between Galo and Shabab Al Ahli, from the United Arab Emirates, for the 20-year-old player.

According to Venê, the Arab club will make an investment of 2 million euros, which is around R$ 13 million at the current exchange rate, paid upfront. Atlético negotiated 70% of the forward's economic rights and will retain the remaining 30%, betting on a possible future appreciation of the athlete.

The portal Deus Me Dibre had previously reported that João Marcelo would not remain in the alvinegro squad. According to influencer Lucas Tanaka's findings, the young center-forward failed to convince coach Jorge Sampaoli during training sessions at Cidade do Galo, which weighed on the decision to negotiate.

João Marcelo gained national attention in this year's Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, when he played for Guarani and scored five goals in five matches. His good performance opened the door for the forward in the main team of the Campinas club. In the 2025 Paulista Championship, he played 11 games, with four goals and two assists, numbers that caught the interest of clubs in the Brasileirão Serie A.

Atlético won the competition and signed the player for about R$ 2.7 million. However, already in Belo Horizonte, João Marcelo could not establish himself, neither under Cuca's command nor with Jorge Sampaoli. For Galo's professional team, he played only 11 matches, totaling 108 minutes on the field, without scoring goals and with one assist.

Without space in the main squad, the forward ended up being integrated into the under-20 team for the Copa do Brasil of the category. In the competition, he played a significant role in Atlético's campaign, which reached the semifinals. Now, João Marcelo will have his first international experience in his career, defending Shabab Al Ahli in the football of the United Arab Emirates.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.