Look who's back… A month on, Arboleda returns to Brazil over exit | OneFootball

After exactly one month of completely disappearing from São Paulo, Ecuadorian center-back Arboleda returned to Brazil this Monday (4) and headed to the Barra Funda training center to definitively sort out his future at the club.

There were several no-shows by the defender at Tricolor after he left the club on April 3, before the match against Cruzeiro in the Brasileirão. He was expected by São Paulo on the 30th, but did not show up, even irritating his own agent, who assured that the situation would be resolved this week, according to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR.

Internally, São Paulo believes it is legally backed to take any measure. AMT learned that the legal department has already prepared all the necessary documentation for different scenarios, from salary deductions for the days of absence to the application of a disciplinary fine and dismissal for just cause. The expectation, however, is that the outcome will be a mutual termination of the contract between the parties.

Tricolor does not rule out, however, bringing Arboleda back into the squad with a fine for the month of absence, aiming to negotiate the center-back in the next transfer window, while keeping him training at the CT at different times from the other players.

The club tried in different ways to resolve the situation of its player, who still has a valid and financially lucrative contract until the end of 2027. But only now does it seem that the saga will finally be settled.

Meanwhile, Arboleda was seen at parties, games, and always seeming unconcerned about the situation in Ecuador. In Brazil, he has piled up debts and lawsuits, and recently had his Porsche and bank accounts seized.

If he had not returned, starting this Monday (4) São Paulo could have taken the case to FIFA, demanding financial compensation (the fine of nearly R$ 600 million) and putting the defender’s career on hold.

In 2026 alone, the center-back has accumulated four delays, including a late return for preseason and a trip to Ecuador during Carnival, but in all of them there was some kind of communication. This time, in addition to the initial silence, there was a direct failure to comply with a call-up for a match, which changed the board’s stance. On the pitch, Arboleda had already been losing space, featuring in only 11 of the team’s 20 matches this season.

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