Nosso Palestra
·4 January 2026
Palmeiras announce signing of Marlon Freitas, see the details

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Yahoo sportsNosso Palestra
·4 January 2026

Palmeiras announced this Sunday (4th) the first signing for the 2026 season. The Verdão signed Marlon Freitas from Botafogo, the captain of the Rio de Janeiro club and a winner in Brazilian football.
Palmeiras spent around €5 million (approximately R$33 million at the current exchange rate) to sign the midfielder from Botafogo. To be signed, the player had to request release from John Textor, the owner of the Rio de Janeiro club.
“First, I want to thank God for the opportunity, for everything He has done in my life. It’s a huge opportunity in my career, I’m very happy to be here and be part of the Palmeiras Family. I am convinced that this partnership has already worked out, and I’m sure it will be a victorious year for us. I’m very happy, now it’s time to enjoy every moment wearing the Palmeiras jersey. I’m eager to play at Allianz Parque with the fans, meet my teammates, the staff, and learn how the club operates. Everyone spoke very highly, I’m very happy to be here and I just have to thank God for everything,” said the player to TV Palmeiras.
Trained by Fluminense, Marlon gained professional experience early in his career through loans to Fort Lauderdale Strikers-USA and Samorin-ESL, as well as stints at Criciúma (2018) and Botafogo-SP (2019). Between 2020 and 2022, the midfielder played over a hundred games for Atlético-GO, where he was an undisputed starter and won two state championships.
For the 2026 season, Palmeiras aims to change its recruitment profile, targeting more experienced players ready for immediate impact. The club hopes to replicate the successes of operations for Lucas Evangelista and Andreas Pereira, who quickly adapted to Abel Ferreira’s playing style.
At Botafogo, a club he defended since 2023, Marlon was considered one of the technical and leadership pillars of the team, with good mobility, launches, and through passes. In total, he played 186 games and scored five goals (in the 2025 season, Marlon Freitas played 59 matches, 56 of them as a starter, with one goal and five assists).
“I can fulfill this leadership role, I try to help in the best way possible and learn as well. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from my teammates, the coaching staff, everyone. I try to help the younger players too, I’ve been doing this especially in the last three years because I had difficulties when I moved up from the youth team and I know the importance of having an experienced player by your side to guide you. This isn’t done just with words, but with actions too, setting an example. That’s what I hope to convey, with a lot of work, dedication, resilience, and humility. I’m very happy, I want to help a lot and I’m sure it will be a victorious year for us. I saw the word ‘restart’ on the wall of the training center and I also have the desire to return to the path of victories and achievements,” he declared.
As the first confirmed reinforcement for Verdão for the 2026 season, Marlon Freitas also commented on the contact he had with coach Abel Ferreira and his family’s joy when they learned he would join the Greatest Champion of Brazil.
“I was shocked when I received his call, I was surprised. This shows confidence, which is important for a player. We talked a lot, we haven’t discussed the tactical part yet, or roles on the field, but the important thing is that I’m always ready to help my teammates. The choice is always up to Professor Abel,” he said.
“I hope to help the club return to victories. Every year, Palmeiras fights to win and I made the right choice. I also have this hunger, this thirst to win and I know these will be victorious years here wearing this very prestigious jersey. This makes me very happy because all the sacrifice in the past was worth it, I gave up many things and today I’m here wearing the Palmeiras jersey. It’s a dream come true, and for my family too. They were very happy with the possibility and when I told them everything was set, there was a lot of cheering at home. I know all the sacrifices they made too and that’s important. I always put God and my family first. Their support is very important for me to always give my best version every day, in training and in games. It’s still sinking in, in a few days I’ll be sure that I’m wearing the jersey of this football giant,” concluded the Verdão reinforcement.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.









































