Rafa Gonzaga’s Santos renewal registered in CBF BID | OneFootball

According to Diario Do Peixe, Santos have had left-back Rafael Gonzaga’s contract extension registered in the CBF’s BID on Friday 8 May, with the new deal running until December 2030. His previous agreement had been due to run until 31 May 2027.

Gonzaga has debuted for the senior side and was moved up after the sale of Souza and the ACL injury to Vinicius Lira. He is the only specialist at left-back, with centre-back Luan Peres and attacker Barreal also filling in as a wing-back.

The coaching staff rate the teenager and are working to refine his game, with assistant Vinicius Marques helping his step up from the academy. His representatives consider him a talent, while acknowledging his development stalled in recent years and that he needs to regain confidence.

This year he has made three first-team appearances, against Fluminense in the Brasileirão and Deportivo Cuenca and Recoleta in the Sudamericana. At under-20 level he has featured in four Brasileiro matches and four Copinha games.

He had been a regular in Brazil’s youth squads, with his last call-up in March last year. He scored in an under-17 warm-up match and was a South American champion at that level, also playing the 2024 South American under-16 and winning the 2023 under-15 Quadrangular in Paraguay.

Source: Diario Do Peixe