João Marcelo set for move to Arabia | OneFootball

Atlético has arranged the departure 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 have the player on a one-season loan, with a purchase option at the end of the contract for 1 million euros (R$6.4 million at the current exchange rate) for 50% of the player's rights. However, the purchase option becomes an obligation if the forward meets a target (playing a minimum number of games, which is considered low).

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

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 up opportunities for the forward in the main team of the Campinas club. In the 2025 Campeonato Paulista, he played 11 games, with four goals and two assists, numbers that attracted the interest of Série A clubs in the Brasileirão.

Atlético won the competition and signed the player for around 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 of his career, playing for Shabab Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates football.

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