Fulham may have another saga on their hands. Rodrigo Muniz has admitted he came close to returning home, and his family situation could soon bring the subject back into focus.
The striker has endured a difficult spell in England, and a recent conversation with a Brazilian journalist suggests there is more to his future than his performances on the pitch.
His wife is pregnant, her family lives in Brazil, and Muniz has already considered leaving Fulham. None of that means a transfer is imminent, of course. But the ingredients for another transfer story are certainly there.
Muniz admits he almost left Fulham
ESPN Brazil journalist Mário Marra has revealed details of a conversation with Muniz following Fulham’s 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the League Cup.
The striker played the full 90 minutes and missed an opportunity to score. Marra noticed he was looking rather downbeat afterwards.
“An elderly gentleman went over, gave him a hug and told him to have faith and patience, that things would get better,” the journalist explained.
“It was a very important day for Muniz. He came on, had an opportunity, didn’t strike the ball well and didn’t score.”
“He was looking down. You could see that. But when he saw Brazilians, he lit up, he wanted to talk.”
That conversation eventually turned to his future. Marra mentioned the interest previously shown by Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro, two clubs from Minas Gerais state. And Muniz’s response was revealing.
“Yes, I know. I almost went, but my wife said we should stay a little longer to fulfil the dream,” the striker reportedly told him.
So a return to Brazil was apparently much closer than previously understood. The decision to stay in England also seems to have been a family one.
His numbers tell another story
Muniz’s performances have also become part of the discussion. After two productive Premier League seasons, his goalscoring return dropped sharply in 2025/26.
He scored just once in 25 appearances, having managed 21 goals across the previous two campaigns. And his playing time has fallen considerably, too.
| Season | Appearances | Minutes | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 33 | 2,032 | 10 | 1 |
| 2024/25 | 36 | 1,370 | 11 | 2 |
| 2025/26 | 25 | 1,193 | 1 | 1 |
| 2026/27* | 10 | 313 | 2 | 0 |
*2026/27 season ongoing
The Brazilian has already scored twice this season, although he has played just 313 league minutes.
That makes his frustration understandable. He’s shown he can score regularly at this level, but getting back to that form has proved difficult.
Family situation could change the picture
So Marra revealed that Muniz’s wife is pregnant, and the couple discussed the importance of having a support network around them.
The Brazilian explained that they already have support in England, including through the church he attends. However, his wife’s family lives in the city of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais state).
Marra finished his account with a rather pointed “here’s a tip!”, seemingly encouraging Atlético and Cruzeiro to pay attention.
That was the journalist’s suggestion, though. Muniz did not announce plans to leave Fulham, and there is no indication either Brazilian club has opened negotiations.
Still, the timing is interesting. Reports linking Muniz with a Flamengo return have also circulated recently, although several Brazilian journalists subsequently dismissed those claims.
Now comes an account of the player himself acknowledging that he nearly went back to Brazil.
For Fulham, there is no concrete new approach to deal with here. Yet the conversation around Muniz’s future is beginning to gather pace again.
His desire to continue his European career kept him in London before. With a baby on the way and family ties pulling towards Brazil, it is easy to see why the subject might not go away quite so quickly this time.
