Atlético-MG sign Libertadores winner from Flamengo

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·2 juin 2026

Atlético-MG sign Libertadores winner from Flamengo

Part of Flamengo’s squad in 2019, Léo Duarte will return to Brazil

Developed in Flamengo’s youth academy, Léo Duarte is back in Brazil. The center-back was announced this Monday (01) as a new signing for Atlético-MG for the second half of the season. The player is a free agent after not renewing his contract in Turkish football.

O Galo comunica que acertou todas as bases negociais para a contratação do zagueiro Léo Duarte, de 29 anos, cujo vínculo com o İstanbul Başakşehir se encerrou em 31/05/26. A assinatura definitiva do contrato de trabalho, que terá a duração de 3 anos e meio, e o anúncio oficial,
– lundi 1 juin 2026

“Galo announces that all terms have been agreed for the signing of 29-year-old center-back Léo Duarte, whose contract with İstanbul Başakşehir expired on 05/31/26. The final signing of the employment contract, which will run for three and a half years, and the official announcement are subject to the completion and approval of medical exams, scheduled for mid-June,” Atlético-MG said on social media.

Léo Duarte spent the last six seasons at İstanbul Başakşehir. Between the Turkish side and Flamengo, the center-back spent just over a year at Milan (ITA). That is where the defender was sold after leaving the Rubro-Negro in 2019, in a deal worth 11 million euros (around R$ 46 million at the exchange rate at the time).

Vidéos OneFootball

SO, IS LÉO DUARTE A LIBERTADORES CHAMPION WITH FLAMENGO?

In short, Léo Duarte’s transfer to Milan took place at the end of July 2019. However, the center-back was part of Flamengo’s title-winning Brasileirão and Libertadores campaigns that year. In this way, the academy graduate played up to the first leg of the round of 16 against Emelec (ECU), and was then transferred, being replaced in the squad by Marí.

In addition to the 2019 Brasileirão and Libertadores, Léo Duarte won two Carioca titles (2017 and 2019) and began drawing attention in Brazilian football in 2016. That year, the then-young academy player won the Copinha alongside names such as Lucas Paquetá, Vizeu, and Matheus Sávio.

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