With Elano’s approval, Santos hand number eight shirt to Gabriel Bontempo | OneFootball

Santos have handed the number eight shirt to Gabriel Bontempo, the number Elano made his name in.

According to Diario Do Peixe, Elano, a club idol and now the academy football manager, signalled his approval in a social media video. The shirt had been worn by Tomás Rincón, who terminated his contract last month.

Supporters had called for the number to be given to the 21-year-old, and the move was cleared by the board and Football Department. Bontempo debuted for the first team last year and has become an undisputed starter under Cuca this season.

He has signed a fourth renewal within two years and is contracted until December 2030. His individual form has been important for the side, and he is also a market asset for Santos.

In 2025 he began in the Copinha, then stepped up to the senior squad, debuting in the Paulistão, and did not return to the academy. For the first team he has eight goals and five assists in 66 appearances.

A fan of Neymar and Coutinho, Bontempo was born in Uberaba, Minas Gerais. He passed a trial in 2015 after spells at local schools with coaches Leandro “Marmita”, Luizinho, Piu and Clebio, and has developed at the club for a decade.

Source: Diario Do Peixe