Arão triggers appearance clause, Santos contract to extend to 2027 | OneFootball

Willian Arão has met an appearance target in his Santos contract, triggering an automatic one-year extension through to the end of 2027.

According to Diario Do Peixe, the midfielder signed in July 2025 on a deal to December 2026, with renewal tied to a percentage of matches.

Now operating at centre-back, Arão scored in back-to-back games, against Macará in the Sudamericana and Vasco in the Brasileirão.

He has rebuilt form after a dispute with coach Cuca. Last season he missed almost three months with a right calf oedema, and the medical department’s lack of transparency frustrated supporters and the player.

In 2025 he made 13 league appearances. This year he has featured 34 times across competitions, including seven in the Paulistão, three in the Copa do Brasil, 17 in Série A and seven in the Sudamericana.

Arão, 34, is from São Paulo. He came through Grêmio Barueri and São Paulo, then Espanyol B, before Corinthians, loans at Portuguesa, Chapecoense and Atlético-GO, Botafogo and a seven-year spell at Flamengo.

He later moved to Fenerbahçe in Türkiye and Panathinaikos in Greece, then joined Santos. He was capped by Brazil in a 2017 friendly against Colombia.

Source: Diario Do Peixe

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