Zé Rafael joins Alverca after Santos exit, club linked to Vini Jr | OneFootball

Zé Rafael has joined Portuguese side Alverca after ending his Santos contract, the move was announced on Monday. According to Diario Do Peixe, Alverca were bought in February last year by investors linked to Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr and are in Portugal’s top tier this season.

Vinícius Jr has also appeared at an Alverca kit launch. Zé Rafael said he is eager to make his debut and give the club’s supporters plenty to cheer.

Signed by Santos from Palmeiras in February last year for R$ 15 million, he underwent back surgery and waited to debut. Last season he made 28 appearances, 27 in the Brasileiro and one in the Copa do Brasil, scoring once against Corinthians.

This year he battled conjunctivitis, tendinitis, thigh oedema and an ankle sprain, registering one goal and one assist in 12 games. He featured once in the Copa do Brasil against Coritiba and came on late in the Sudamericana at Cuenca in Ecuador, and made five Brasileiro outings, assisting against Chapecoense and scoring against São Paulo before late cameos versus Vasco, Flamengo and Palmeiras.

Born in Ponta Grossa, Paraná, the 33-year-old began at Coritiba, then played for Bahia and Palmeiras before moving to Santos.

Source: Diario Do Peixe

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