It seems there was a little drama while Lyanco negotiated his exit from Southampton.
According to UOL, when Atlético Mineiro were about to sign the defender, Botafogo joined the race.
Journalist Bruno Andrade says the Rio de Janeiro made an offer to Southampton and even offered Lyanco better conditions than their rivals.
The centre-back, however, kept his word, and chose to sign for Atlético, who are just sorting out the final details for the transfer.
The Saints spent €7.5m to sign Lyanco from Torino back in 2021. He spent a couple of seasons playing for the Saints, with 49 appearances. Last summer, he was sent to Al-Gharafa SC on a season-long loan deal.
The defender is now 27, which is quite a young age for players to head back to South America. Still, that also gives him time enough to prove himself in Brazil again, and by playing for a big club, he could even get a spot in the national team if he succeeds there. That’s something we’ll see in the coming years.
