Who is Victor Hugo, Flamengo midfielder set for a move to Santos | OneFootball

Last Friday, Santos finalized the loan signing, from Flamengo, of midfielder Victor Hugo. The 21-year-old player is expected to sign a contract with Peixe until the end of 2026. Below, Gazeta Esportiva provides a brief summary of who the athlete is.

Developed in Flamengo’s Youth Academy

Victor Hugo is a product of Flamengo’s youth academy. The youngster began with the under-15 squad of the Rio de Janeiro club and quickly stood out, even participating with the under-17 team. Still in 2020, at just 16 years old, he featured in several matches for the under-20 team.

It was in 2021 that he became a regular in the under-17 squad and, consequently, earned more opportunities with the under-20s. According to data from the platform Ogol, that year he finished his stint with the younger team with 27 goals in 32 matches, in addition to seven goals in 14 games for the older squad.

Professional Debut and Progression

In 2022, Victor Hugo made his professional debut for Flamengo under coach Paulo Sousa. The midfielder debuted in the first leg of the third round of the Copa do Brasil, against Altos-PI. On that occasion, he provided an assist in Flamengo’s 2-1 victory.

That same year, the youngster also played important roles in the team led by Dorival Júnior, which ended up winning both the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores. He played 37 matches for the professional team, scoring four goals and providing three assists.

In 2023, the midfielder received many opportunities under Jorge Sampaoli. Toward the end of the Argentine’s tenure, he even became a starter—during this period, he contributed three goals and two assists. However, things changed after coach Tite arrived.

(Photo: Gilvan de Souza/Flamengo)

Loan to Turkish Football and Return to Brazil

With limited playing time during Tite’s tenure at Flamengo, Victor Hugo was loaned to Goztepe, in Turkey, in August of last year. In European football, the midfielder played 35 matches and scored three goals.

Since returning to Flamengo, however, Victor Hugo also found himself without opportunities. He returned to the Rio de Janeiro club in July this year but did not receive many chances under coach Filipe Luís. The youngster also faced stiff competition in Flamengo’s midfield.

The midfielder played just one match for Flamengo this season: he came on in the final five minutes of the 1-1 draw against Ceará, on August 3rd, away from home. After that, he was on the bench against Mirassol and was not even included in the squad for the team’s last three matches.

Thus, a possible move to Santos is seen positively by the player, who is looking for a fresh start. He is expected to join Peixe to compete for a spot with João Schmidt, Tomás Rincón, Gabriel Bontempo, Hyan, and Willian Arão, the latter currently in the medical department.

Awaiting Victor Hugo, Peixe returns to the field this Sunday at 4:00 p.m. (Brasília time), against Fluminense, for the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship.

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