Why Santi Moreno struggled at Fluminense, R$32m signing woes | OneFootball

Santi Moreno has yet to take off wearing the Fluminense jersey. Signed for R$32 million from Portland Timbers, an MLS club, the forward arrived in Brazil surrounded by high expectations, but things have not gone as planned. According to a report by GE, the issue is not technical, but rather the Colombian’s, 25, difficult adaptation to Rio de Janeiro.

Introverted, Santi arrived in Brazil in August and has been living alone ever since, as he has no wife or children. His more reserved personality and difficulty integrating into his new routine outside the training center may explain the athlete’s low performance.

To address this delicate issue, Fluminense’s management took action and brought the player’s family members, including his mother, to Rio de Janeiro. The intention is for the athlete to feel more comfortable, a step the club considers important.

In addition, the club’s psychosocial department is also working to ensure this adaptation happens in the best possible way. This situation is not new; when he arrived in Brazil, Arias also went through similar moments.

Postponed Expectations

At the time of his signing, Fluminense’s board was counting on a quick technical return from the Colombian. However, the belief that the player can help the club both now and in the future remains strong at Laranjeiras.

Close to completing three months in Brazil, Santiago Moreno has taken the field only five times for Fluminense — he started in two matches and came off the bench in three others. In the win over Mirassol, he remained on the bench. He last played on October 8 against the same Mirassol (a rescheduled match).

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