Venezuelan forward Yeferson Soteldo has officially signed with Gremio de Porto Alegre for the 2024 season. The 26-year-old will be departing Santos de Sao Paulo, who was relegated to the second division of Brazilian football for the first time in their history. Gremio announced the loan agreement on Friday, making Soteldo the first Venezuelan player to defend the club’s colors.
Soteldo gained popularity among Santos fans for his exceptional performance during the Copa Libertadores-2020, where he reached the final with Palmeiras. He joined Santos in 2019 from Chilean soccer and has also played for Toronto in the MLS and Tigres in Mexico.
Due to financial and institutional challenges, Santos is anticipating the departure of some of its key players to ease the salary burden. This has paved the way for Soteldo to join Gremio, a strong team that finished as runners-up in the Brasileirao in 2023.
Gremio, led by Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez, who has since left the team, will be participating in the group stage of the 2024 Copa Libertadores. The club has an illustrious history, having won the tournament in 1983, 1995, and 2017. They are also two-time champions of Brazil and have won the Intercontinental Cup in 1983.