Athletico evaluates hiring of Bahia full-back after failure by Rodinei

Gilberto has a profile that fits with Furacão’s searches, which wants to have a more experienced option for the position, just like Rodinei was. Despite the agreement with the athlete, Olympiacos, from Greece, blocked the Brazilian from leaving, who became one of the team’s pillars and went on to win the UEFA Conference League title, the Greek team’s first continental title.

However, the issue of physical conditioning is a concern, as Gilberto has played 10 games this season, with three assists. The player was trained at CFZ and Botafogo, but he also has spells at Internacional, Vasco and Fluminense, as well as international experiences at Fiorentina, Hellas Verona and Latina, in Italian football, and three seasons at Benfica, in Portugal.

The end of the relationship with the Bahian club makes it possible to sign a pre-contract for the full-back’s arrival in January, but Furacão is evaluating a negotiation to have the player in mid-2026. Coach Odair Hellmann has Argentine Gastón Benavídez, one of the team’s highlights in the first half, and young Gilberto, on loan from Palmeiras until the end of the season. In other words, the club understands that the sector is a necessity for the squad.

Another factor that could facilitate the transfer is that the full-back only played six matches in this year’s Brasileirão. In other words, he can change teams and play in the national tournament. One of the reasons that left the player out of action was appendicitis, which sidelined him for more than a month.

However, a negative aspect is that Bahia should make the deal difficult. In addition to giving the player more minutes in the second half, coach Rogério Ceni’s team can reinforce a direct rival in the fight for the Libertadores. Athletico occupies fourth place, with 30 points, while Bahia appears in sixth place, with 26 points.

Athletico has already made two signings

The transfer window only opens on July 20th, and runs until September 11th, but the market is already very busy during the Brasileirão break for the 2026 World Cup.

So far, Athletico has already agreed on two arrivals. The first was the defender Bruno Baldinifrom Avaí, bought for R$3 million and signed a contract until the end of May 2030. While the main squad is on vacation, the defender should be integrated into the professional squad throughout the second semester.

Baldini has been playing for Avaí since the Catarinense Championship and will defend Athletico in the under-20 Brasileirão, which continues to be played during the World Cup and still has four rounds to be played in the first phase until July 1st.

Considering that Furacão is sixth in the tournament, with 22 points, and the top eight placed advance to the quarterfinals, it can be used by coach Alexandre Lemos also in the knockout stage, with no dates yet defined.

The second signing is the striker Jorge Rivaldoone of the top scorers in the Colombian Championship. With strength in the air, the 22-year-old player is 1.89 meters tall and should shadow and be an option for compatriot Kevin Viveros, the Brasileirão’s top scorer with 11 goals.