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Corinthians made official, this Monday (11), the signing of striker Vitinho. After passing the medical exams, the player signed a contract valid until December 31, 2026. The athlete was free on the market since leaving Al-Ettifaq, from Saudi Arabia , and arrives without transfer costs.

" I'm very happy and very grateful to God and Corinthians for this opportunity . It's an honor to be here wearing the Corinthians jersey. The expectations are immense. I want to be on the field as soon as possible. Be with the Faithful, be with my teammates, and achieve the club's goals," Vitinho told the club's official website.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

At 31, Vitinho will be another option for coach Dorival Júnior in attack. In Saudi Arabia, he played 65 matches, scored 12 goals, and provided 10 assists. Discovered by Botafogo in 2011, the striker quickly attracted attention and, in 2013 , transferred to CSKA Moscow, where he remained until 2018.

During this period, he spent two years on loan at Internacional, totaling 84 appearances, 18 goals, and nine assists. At the Russian club, he scored 18 goals and provided nine decisive passes before joining Flamengo in 2018.

A REMARKABLE PASSAGE AT FLAMENGO

After his experience in Russia, Vitinho was signed by Flamengo, where he participated in historic campaigns and won significant titles . Among them, two Copa Libertadores (2019 and 2022) and two Brazilian Championships (2019 and 2020) stand out, as well as trophies from the Copa do Brasil, Supercopa do Brasil, Recopa Sudamericana and Campeonato Carioca.

Flamengo has already begun talks with Filipe Luís and his agent to renew his contract for another season. Despite mutual interest, the final decision rests with the coach , who has chosen to wait before giving a response, prioritizing performance in current competitions.

The club's board presented a proposal that includes a salary increase and an extension of the contract until December 2026, with the possibility of automatic renewal for another year. The coach's contract currently runs until the end of 2025 , and there is internal optimism that a positive outcome will be achieved.

Filipe Luís wants to extend his winning streak at Flamengo , pursuing victories such as the Copa do Brasil, Campeonato Carioca, and Supercopa do Brasil as a coach. However, he admits that playing in European football remains a personal dream, despite his strong ties to the Rio de Janeiro club.

FLAMENGO CAN EXCEED THE BRANCH

Although they haven't yet secured the symbolic title of the first round, their 2-1 victory over Mirassol last Saturday brought Mengão very close to achieving a significant feat for their fans. If they beat Sport in a postponed match from the 12th round, the team could end the first half of the championship with 43 points, surpassing the 42 they achieved in 2019 under Jorge Jesus.

FILIPE LUÍS REACHES IMPORTANT MILESTONES

Next Saturday, Filipe Luís will complete 60 games as manager of the team . His record is 38 wins, 15 draws, and six losses, resulting in a 72.9% success rate—the best since Jorge Jesus, who achieved 81.6% between 2019 and 2020.

Wesley's departure paved the way for Guillermo Varela to take over as Flamengo's starting right-back. Despite Emerson Royal's arrival, the new signing is still struggling to adapt and find his rhythm, giving the Uruguayan a chance to establish himself in the position.

Starting in the Copa do Brasil match against Atlético-MG, the full-back performed consistently both defensively and offensively , despite the team's penalty shootout. He didn't play in the previous match against Ceará in the Campeonato Brasileiro , giving way to Royal, who isn't yet fully fit. While the newly signed player seeks to establish himself, the veteran remains in the running for a starting spot.

CONTRACT RENEWAL

Besides competing on the field, Varela is also experiencing a significant moment off it. The full-back's contract with the club runs until the end of 2025 and, starting mid-next year , could sign a pre-contract with another team. However, his desire is to remain at Mengão.

Negotiations for the renewal began in March and have always been positive. According to information gathered by Gazeta do Urubu , the final details of the new contract have already been finalized. The official announcement is expected in the coming days, after adjustments to the player's requested amount.

VERSATILITY PLEASE THE COMMISSION

Throughout the season, Varela stood out for his versatility. Besides performing well at right back, he also played on the left when coach Filipe Luís needed to cover for absences . At specific moments, he even played as a defensive midfielder, a position for which he also received praise. This versatility was one of the factors that influenced the board to move forward with the renewal.