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Which Flamengo Defender Will Leave the Club in 2026?

The first transfer window of 2026 begins on January 5th, and therefore, football clubs around the world are starting to move with an eye on the market. Thus, on this Wednesday (17th), Wolfsburg (GER) announced the signing of Cleiton, a defender from Flamengo.

See this photo on Instagram A post shared by VfL Wolfsburg (@vfl.wolfsburg)

Without a place in Flamengo's starting lineup, Cleiton signed a pre-contract with Wolfsburg, and therefore, Mengão will not receive any compensation for the defender's departure. Thus, the defender will join the German team at the beginning of January, after signing a contract until June 2030.

Did Flamengo Try to Renew Cleiton's Contract?

It is worth noting that throughout 2025, Flamengo attempted to negotiate with Cleiton's representatives to extend the defender's contract. However, due to limited playing time under coach Filipe Luís, the young defender chose not to renew his contract with Rubro-Negro.

What Are Cleiton's Numbers at Flamengo?

Trained in the youth categories of Flamengo, Cleiton was promoted to the professional team in 2022. Thus, the defender played 24 matches, with 15 wins, six draws, and three losses. In 2025, however, the defender only played in seven matches: five in the Carioca and two in the Brasileirão.

Does Flamengo Have Another Confirmed Departure?

Besides Cleiton, Flamengo is expected to bid farewell to another player in the coming days: goalkeeper Matheus Cunha. This is because, in July of this year, the athlete signed a pre-contract with Cruzeiro for 2026 and will join the Minas Gerais team starting in January.

What Are Mengão's Priorities in the Transfer Window?

While saying goodbye to players, Flamengo already has some defined recruitment priorities: a goalkeeper, a defender, and a forward. Thus, the names of Gabriel Brazão from Santos and Vitão from Internacional are starting to appear on the Rubro-Negro's radar.

After investing nearly R$ 300 million in the last transfer window, Flamengo does not intend to make 'crazy' investments at the beginning of 2026. Therefore, Mengão's focus is on making only targeted signings while trying to maintain the current team's core.

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