Former Flamengo man Rodinei is Santos' new signing | OneFootball

Rodinei was at Olympiacos, in Greece

Winner of the 2022 Libertadores with Flamengo, Rodinei is back in Brazilian football. The right-back will play for Santos, where he will reunite with former Flamengo teammates Willian Arão and Gabigol. The player had been at Olympiacos, in Greece, since 2023.

According to journalist Venê Casagrande, Rodinei will sign a two-and-a-half-year contract with Santos. Despite being a starter in Greece, Olympiacos informed the player’s representatives that they were authorized to receive offers, and Santos’ proposal was appealing.

That way, Rodinei arrives with the mission of ‘saving’ Santos’ season. Currently, Neymar’s team sits in 14th place, one spot above Internacional, who are in the relegation zone. In other words, the team could drop into the bottom four if they lose this Sunday (30) against Corinthians at Neo Química Arena.

HOW WAS RODINEI AT FLAMENGO?

Signed by Flamengo in 2016, Rodinei left the club in 2022 after failing to reach an agreement on a renewal. During that period, he was loaned to Internacional between 2020 and 2021. Wearing the Sacred Jersey, he won the 2019 and 2022 Libertadores, the 2019 Brasileirão, the 2022 Copa do Brasil, among other trophies.

However, the peak of Rodinei’s career came in 2022. At the time, some in the press even called for the full-back to be included in Brazil’s World Cup squad. That season, ‘Rodilindo’ played decisive roles in Flamengo’s two biggest titles.

In the Libertadores final against Athletico-PR, Rodinei combined with Everton Ribeiro on the right. The midfielder crossed into the box, and Gabigol scored the game’s only goal. Against Corinthians, in the final match of the Copa do Brasil, the full-back converted the decisive penalty that sealed the title for Mengão.

WHAT IS THE AUTHOR’S OPINION?

— Rodinei’s return to Brazil surprises me. He was doing well at Olympiacos, even became the team captain, won the Conference League… To leave all that behind to play for Santos, who are going through a serious crisis on and off the pitch? I think it’s a risky move — opined Pedro Paulo Catonho, journalist for Coluna do Fla.

— However, for Santos, it’s great news. Despite being 34, Rodinei is someone who takes care of himself physically and can give a boost to the team coached by Cuca. Chemistry won’t be lacking with friends Arão and Gabigol. Let’s see how it turns out — Pedro added.

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