Wolfsburg set to complete January signing of Brazilian centre back Cleiton (22) | OneFootball

Kicker reports that Wolfsburg are close to wrapping up their first January 2026 transfer signing. Brazilian central defender Cleiton (22) will join the Bundesliga outfit from Flemengo Rio di Janeiro. Kicker offers up no specifics on the details of the deal, only noting that die Wölfe aim to be proactive ahead of a potential loss of Greek centre-back Konstantinos Koulierakis. 

Given Wolfsburg’s current poor form, Koulierakis may wish to jump ship. The Lower Saxon Autostädter will, at some point, take advantage of the opportunity to sell the 21-year-old they paid around €11.75m to acquire in August of 2024. Koulierakis currently maintains an estimated €25m market value and is the most valuable player on the VfL squad. 

Like Koulierakis, Cleichton (fully name Cleiton Santana dos Santos) is left-footed. The youngster hasn’t made many first team appearances, but is reported to be on the radar of other larger European clubs such as Juventus. Kicker claims that Wolfsburg have decided on Cleiton thanks in part to endorsements from former VfL Brazilian professionals Naldo and Bruno Henrique.

Cleichton is also represented professionally by the same sports agency as recent summer marquee signing Vinicius Souza. While not intended as an immediate replacement for Koulierakis, Cleiton’s arrival might herald the departure of some VfL centre-backs either being sparsely used or unenthusiastic about representing Wolfsburg on the current squad.

GGFN | Peter Weis