With ‘AeroFla’, Paquetá lands in Brazil to sign for Flamengo | OneFootball

Flamengo's major signing for 2026, Lucas Paquetá, landed in Rio de Janeiro this Thursday, amidst great celebration from the Rubro-Negra fans. The player arrives to undergo medical exams and sign a five-year contract with the club.

A tradition at Flamengo, many fans were at Galeão Airport to perform the so-called “AeroFla” and welcome the Gávea prodigy, who is returning after seven years since his departure to Europe.

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First Words

In his first interview after being announced, Paquetá told Flamengo TV that he dreamed a lot about this moment and is happy to return home. He does not hide his eagerness to take the field with his teammates. “Maybe Flamengo didn't need me, but I need Flamengo.”

Paquetá also recalled a difficult moment: the case in which he was investigated for alleged involvement in betting schemes while playing in England. “We went through a lot – during the investigations they thought I would want to return, I said ‘I want to stay, I want to finish this story’ – on the contrary, after everything was fine in my life I said, ‘Jesus, I am ready, I want to return home’ – there was nothing else on my mind, it was return or return.”

Versatility is one of Paquetá's main characteristics, a fact that can bring various tactical variations to Flamengo. “This has always been a characteristic of mine (performing more than one role), wherever they put me I will do my best,” he commented.

Record Value

Flamengo will pay West Ham, from England, a sum of 42 million euros for the signing of the midfielder, which was finalized yesterday, Wednesday. The amount represents the largest purchase of a player ever made by a Brazilian club, surpassing the arrival of Gerson, also in 2026, for 27 million euros (about 167 million reais) to Cruzeiro.

Expectation for Debut

Flamengo is working to register the player in time to be available to coach Filipe Luís this coming Sunday, for the Brazilian Super Cup final against Corinthians, at the Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasília.

The competition, of which Flamengo is the most successful club with three titles, represents the first opportunity for the club to win a title in 2026.

Gávea Prodigy

Revealed in the youth ranks of the Rubro-Negro, Paquetá played in the professional team between 2016 and 2018. In total, he played 95 matches, scored 18 goals, and provided seven assists. Before signing with West Ham, from England, the Brazilian also had stints at Milan and Lyon.

Next Match

⚔️ Match: Flamengo vs Corinthians

🏆 Competition: Brazilian Super Cup 2026

📅 Date: February 1, 2026 (Sunday)

⏰ Time: 4 PM (Brasília time)

🏟️ Location: Mané Garrincha Stadium (Brasília-DF)

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