Nottingham Forest are likely to welcome Cuiabano back after all.
Right after we covered talks of a possible second extension to his loan, the left-back closed out his Botafogo spell with a dressing-room speech to teammates and staff.
He thanked them for the past two years and apologised, half-jokingly, for “any jokes they didn’t like”. The clip, shared by the club’s social channels, captured what felt like the end of a chapter rather than the start of any negotiations.
Nottingham Forest bought 70% of Cuiabano’s rights in mid-2025 and loaned him straight back to Rio, expecting him to report in January. And now it appears to be the plan.
Speaking to the press, the player avoided confirming anything but offered no hint of a U-turn. “This answer I can’t give, because I still don’t know. I have a contract until the 31st. Now it’s time to rest and think afterwards,” he said, though his farewell tone echoed earlier comments about being ready for Europe.
As highlighted by Bolavip, Cuiabano’s numbers after the season ended underline why Nottingham Forest made the investment. His goal contributions jumped from eight in 2024 to 11 in 2025 – a 37.5% increase – as he became more decisive on the left flank and one of the club’s most reliable offensive outlets.
The season brought no trophies, but his individual progress was clear, consolidating his status as one of the most improved full-backs in Brazil.
Now everything points to Cuiabano leaving Rio with a proper goodbye and heading to England as originally planned.
