Rodinei is close to leaving Olympiacos for Santos on a 2½-year deal | OneFootball

Rodinei At Final Whistle. NEC Nijmegen vs Olympiacos, Champions League 3rd Round Qualifier - 2nd Leg: Klodian Lato/EUROKINISSI

Sometimes a transfer makes considerably more sense once another move appears. Marcus Pedersen’s arrival already told us Olympiacos were preparing to change something at right-back. Sunday morning may have provided the other half of the picture. Rodinei is now close to returning to Brazil with Santos. The 34-year-old has reportedly agreed a 2½-year contract with the Brazilian club, while Olympiacos have already given his representatives permission to investigate a move.

If Olympiacos authorize the final step, one of the most recognizable players of the club’s recent era will leave Piraeus. And this would not be an insignificant squad departure.

Rodinei became much more than the free transfer Olympiacos originally signed

When Rodinei arrived in Greece in January 2023 after leaving Flamengo, there was little expectation that he would eventually become such a central figure. Yet across more than three seasons, he became almost synonymous with Olympiacos’ right flank. According to the Brazilian reporting, his Olympiacos record now stands at approximately 157 appearances, 12 goals and 28 assists.

But those numbers alone do not explain his value. Rodinei brought aggression. Personality. Constant forward running. One-on-one attacking. And — especially during the Conference League-winning campaign — an ability to give Olympiacos width without requiring the winger permanently to remain outside.

At his best, he was not merely a right-back. He was part of the attacking structure.

The Conference League run permanently changed his Olympiacos legacy

Rodinei was a major contributor to the greatest European achievement in Olympiacos history. That automatically places his tenure in a different category. The 2024 Conference League victory transformed several players from useful squad members into permanent reference points in club history.

Rodinei belongs in that group. His personality also mattered. There was an emotional connection between player and crowd that extended beyond performances. That is why this departure, if completed, will feel different from a normal summer sale. Olympiacos would not simply be moving an aging defender. They would be closing the chapter on one of the protagonists of Florence.

But from a squad-planning perspective, the timing makes sense

Rodinei is 34. His contract has one year remaining. Olympiacos have just spent substantial money on Marcus Pedersen and already have Manolis Saliakas available.

Three senior right-backs would create unnecessary congestion, even if Rodinei has been utilized more as a right wing. Pedersen is 26, that is clearly the age profile around which Olympiacos can build for several seasons. Seen in that context, Pedersen’s arrival now looks even less like pure competition for Rodinei.

It may have been succession planning. The club secured the younger right-back before allowing the veteran to leave. That is generally the correct order of operations.

There is also a tactical reason for the change

Rodinei’s greatest strengths are attacking. His game has always involved risk. High positioning. Aggressive overlaps. Carrying the ball. Trying to create. That gave Olympiacos enormous value when the team controlled possession. It could also leave space behind him.

Mendilibar’s football already commits players forward aggressively. dding a full-back who naturally wants to live in the opponent’s half increases the defensive burden when possession is lost. Pedersen offers something different. More recovery speed. More athletic capacity in large spaces and potentially greater ability to survive transition-heavy European matches.

That does not mean Pedersen is an upgrade, by the numbers he is not. Rodinei is the more proven attacking contributor, but the profile change is understandable.

The free-release question is where the business argument becomes complicated

SPORT24 reports that Santos are not currently offering Olympiacos a transfer fee. Instead, they want Rodinei’s contract terminated so he can join as a free agent. That creates a decision for Olympiacos. Rodinei remains under contract for another season. Normally, a club would expect compensation. But several factors reduce his transfer value:

He is 34.

He has one contractual year remaining.

Santos reportedly have significant financial limitations.

And Olympiacos have already invested in his replacement.

The club therefore has to decide whether securing even a modest fee is worth delaying an exit that may benefit all sides. There may also be wage savings involved. Rodinei has a significant salary when compared to last season's defenders at Olympiacos. He had the highest salary among the backline. Removing this certainly eases some of the burden on FSR(Financialy Sustainability Rules) Squad Ratio.

Santos’ situation makes the move interesting

This is not a retirement move. Santos are under pressure. The club are currently fighting to remain clear of Brazil’s relegation zone and are simultaneously involved in cup competitions. They need immediate contributors.

Rodinei knows Brazilian football. He knows Flamengo. He knows Corinthians. He understands the pressure surrounding one of the country’s historic clubs. That makes him considerably less risky for Santos than importing an unfamiliar right-back.

The proposed 2½-year contract also gives Rodinei security Olympiacos cannot realistically offer at his age.

From the player’s perspective, the decision is easy to understand.

And there may be another Olympiacos transfer consequence

SPORT24 makes an interesting connection between Rodinei’s possible departure and Olympiacos’ pursuit of Pablo García.

Earlier in preseason, Mendilibar had experimented with Rodinei further forward rather than exclusively at right-back. If Rodinei leaves, Olympiacos lose not only defensive depth but another option for the attacking line.

That could increase the urgency around acquiring an additional winger. Whether Pablo García specifically becomes that player remains unresolved. But the squad logic is becoming clearer. Pedersen replaces Rodinei at right-back. Another attacking player potentially replaces the minutes Rodinei might otherwise have received higher up the pitch.

If this is the end, Rodinei leaves as a successful Olympiacos transfer

Transfers should ultimately be judged by what the club received relative to what it invested. Rodinei arrived without a transfer fee. He became a major starter. He helped win domestic trophies. He helped win the Conference League. He played more than 150 matches and now, at 34, Olympiacos have already recruited a younger successor.

Even if he eventually departs for nothing, that is an extremely successful player lifecycle.

The next step remains administrative. Santos have convinced Rodinei. Rodinei appears ready to go home.

Olympiacos now have to decide whether to open the door. If they do, the right side of Mendilibar’s team officially enters a new era.