After weeks of twists, quotes, silence, reconsiderations and U-turns, John Victor is finally heading to the Premier League, but through a route few expected when it all started.
A full timeline published by Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte lays out how the goalkeeper went from being nearly sold to West Ham, to publicly committing to Botafogo, to now agreeing a transfer to Nottingham Forest.
The timeline begins on 2 August, when John informed Botafogo of his desire to play in Europe after receiving a second offer from West Ham. The club, which had already rejected the first bid, accepted this one and allowed negotiations to proceed. At that point, everything pointed toward a done deal.
By 5 August, John was already considered out of the picture. He didn’t travel for the Copa do Brasil clash against Bragantino, and manager Davide Ancelotti even confirmed they had said their goodbyes. It seemed only a matter of time before the Premier League move was announced.
Then came 7 August – the deal collapsed. Despite the advanced stage of talks, John and West Ham failed to agree on personal terms. Reports later revealed that a significant reduction in the salary offer frustrated the player. The Hammers, meanwhile, moved on and signed Danish keeper Mads Hermansen.
That same day, John broke his silence. In a heartfelt message to fans, he claimed he never said he wanted to leave, emphasised his bond with Botafogo, and signed off with: “It’s still time for Botafogo.” It looked like the story was closed.
The following day, 8 August, Botafogo announced the signing of Neto from Bournemouth – a move already in motion as part of their plan to replace John. But with the deal off, they kept both goalkeepers in the squad. Neto would debut soon after.
On 14 August, John returned to action in the Libertadores, helping Botafogo secure a 1-0 win over LDU. Once again, he told reporters he had chosen to stay: “This is my home, I decided to stay and keep writing my story here.”
Fast forward to 28 August, and the story flipped again. This time, it was Nottingham Forest who came in with an offer. The deal was agreed, and John accepted. Despite previous public statements, the goalkeeper’s long-held desire to play in the Premier League once again guided the decision.
From West Ham, to stay, to Forest; the John saga is finally over. At least for now.
