Football: Ex-Getafe defender Duarte joins Sao Paulo on free transfer
Sao Paulo, Aug 7
Brazilian club Sao Paulo has signed Portuguese defender Domingos Duarte on a free transfer, the 31-year-old centre-back agreeing to a deal that runs until July 2028 after parting ways with Getafe in June.
"I am very happy to join Sao Paulo," Duarte told the club's official website on Thursday. "I am grateful for the way I was welcomed here and for the messages sent to me on social media. May there be many happy afternoons and nights with our fans."
Duarte began his career at Sporting Lisbon and has since had spells at Deportivo La Coruña, Granada and Getafe, among other clubs, reports Xinhua.
He has been capped three times for Portugal's national team, having made his full international debut in a 7-0 friendly win over Andorra in 2020.
Meanwhile, current Spanish side Celta Vigo have signed Turkish international goalkeeper Altay Bayindir on loan from Manchester United on Friday, with the agreement giving the Spanish club an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
Bayindir arrived at the club just a day after Celta coach Claudio Giraldez told the press that there was more work to be done in the current transfer window, and he will compete with Andrei Radu to start in La Liga.
"Celta Vigo welcomes him and is confident that he can continue to contribute his security in goal, his imposing physique, and his ability to dominate in the air in this new chapter," commented the Celta Vigo website.
Bayindir has played 12 times for the Turkish national team and was part of its squad for the recent World Cup finals, although he didn't make any appearances as his side was surprisingly knocked out in the group stage.
The goalkeeper joined Manchester United from Fenerbahce in 2023, but has only played 17 times for the first team, conceding 31 goals. He could make his debut on Saturday when Celta faces Napoli in another pre-season warm-up game.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see European players moving to South American clubs now. A few years ago it was only one-way traffic. Duarte at 31 still has a few good years left. Sao Paulo fans will hope he brings that European discipline to their backline. ⚽
The Celta Vigo-Altay Bayindir deal is more intriguing. Manchester United signed him as backup but he barely played. A loan with an option to buy could be a fresh start for him. Turkey's national team GK needs regular game time before the next international break.
A three-year deal for a 31-year-old seems a bit long, but Brazilian clubs often do this for experienced players. The physical demands of Brazilian football are different from Europe though - lots of travel, intense schedule, and passionate fans. Let's see if he can cope.
Bayindir's stats at United were concerning - 17 games, 31 goals conceded. But he was unlucky with the defense in front of him. Celta might be the right environment for him to rebuild his confidence. The move makes sense for all parties.
I remember Duarte from his Granada days, solid defender. Getting him free is smart business by Sao Paulo. Brazilian league has become a good destination for European players who still have something to give. 👍
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