Grêmio block Vitória move to bring back Wagner Leonardo | OneFootball

According to Globo.com, Grêmio have halted Vitória’s attempt to bring back centre-back Wagner Leonardo on loan after coach Luís Castro opposed the defender’s departure.

Vitória explored the move shortly before their 2-0 defeat to Grêmio last Thursday, and after the game Wagner Leonardo spent around 40 minutes inside Vitória’s dressing room.

Before this latest approach, Vitória had tabled a formal proposal that included forgiving money owed from Grêmio’s purchase of the player, but the club rejected it.

After the defeat, president Fábio Mota said the club are pursuing a centre-back and a forward before the window shuts, adding that they have until 27 to register players who featured in a 2026 state championship.

The need grew after Edu ruptured his Achilles in the Ba-Vi 507 on 11 March, underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight months.

Since joining Grêmio last year, Wagner Leonardo has made 50 appearances with two goals and two assists, but his recent spell has been difficult, with two red cards in his last six squads and no minutes in the other four. Interest from CSKA and other clubs earlier this season was also knocked back after Castro publicly rejected a move.

He became a mainstay at Vitória after arriving in 2023, winning Série B, then captained the side through top-flight survival and a state title the following year. In 2025 he showed interest in a switch to Bahia before it collapsed, posted a video saying history is not for sale, then a little over a month later moved to Grêmio for R$ 25.7 million, the biggest sale in Vitória’s history. Their first reunion in April featured a Judas sign and homophobic chants during a 1-1 draw in which he recorded an assist, and Vitória were fined R$ 30,000 for the discriminatory songs.

Source: Globo.com