Renan Lodi hails Atlético project, praises Sampaoli on arrival

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·26 Desember 2025

Renan Lodi hails Atlético project, praises Sampaoli on arrival

Atlético’s new signing for the left-back position, Renan Lodi, landed at Confins International Airport early on Friday morning (26th) and spoke briefly for the first time with journalists. In his conversation with the press, the player highlighted the project presented by the alvinegro club as the decisive factor in accepting the invitation and returning to Brazilian football.

According to Lodi, Atlético’s proposal went beyond the sporting aspect and also involved his family, which weighed heavily in his final decision. The player revealed that he had other offers, including from abroad, but could not turn down the plan presented by the club’s board.

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First, it was because of the project that Galo presented. Not just for me, but for my whole family as well. It was a difficult decision to make, since there were other offers, also from outside the country. But with Galo’s project, the way it was presented, with the people who came to my house to present it, I couldn’t say no to this project.

Asked about the legal situation involving his departure from Al Hilal, the left-back appeared calm and assured that the matter is being handled by his legal representatives. His focus, he said, is entirely on his performance on the field. “I’m calm about this, my lawyers know how important this process is. My only concern now is to train and play, the rest is up to them.”, he said.

Another point highlighted by Renan Lodi was his direct conversation with coach Jorge Sampaoli, who played a fundamental role in his decision to choose Atlético. The player revealed that the coach was present at the meeting in his home and was decisive for the agreement. Even so, he remained cautious, noting that the deal will only be made official after medical exams.

I also had a conversation with the coach (Sampaoli), at that meeting in my house. He was one of the pillars for me to accept this invitation, to be here at Galo today. But of course, I still need to undergo medical exams, nothing is certain yet. Only after that will I be able to talk more with you.

Renan Lodi now awaits his medical exams to finally make his move to Atlético official and sign a five-year contract with the club from Minas Gerais.

Revealed by Athletico-PR, Lodi rose to national prominence in Brazilian football before being transferred to Atlético de Madrid in 2019. At the Spanish club, he experienced the best moment of his career, with three seasons of strong performances, important titles, and call-ups to the Brazilian National Team. Afterwards, he had spells at Nottingham Forest in England and Olympique de Marseille in France, before being sold to Al Hilal, his last club, in 2024.

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