Atlético-MG Signs Victor Hugo: Flamengo & Santos Ex-Midfielder Joins

Atlético-MG announced this Sunday the signing, for five seasons, of 21-year-old midfielder Victor Hugo. The athlete, who belonged to Flamengo, was on loan to Santos, a club with which he had a contract until the middle of the year.

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Last week, the player — who also has a spell at Goztepe-TUR, where he spent less than a year, between 2024 and 2025, on loan — went to Belo Horizonte, where he underwent exams before signing the contract. In the capital of Minas Gerais, he will have the company of his wife and 7-month-old daughter. He notes that this adaptation to the new home will be “very smooth”.

— I hope to help a lot in midfield, in controlling the game. I believe that my characteristics are very good for this style, of keeping the ball. Both with (possession of) the ball and when marking, providing support — said the new Atlético player, in a video released by Galo TV.

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Shortly before the official announcement, Galo even made a mystery, giving a hint: he published a photo of the player, already wearing the club’s shirt, and a lanyard with the initials “VH”. Ten minutes later, he revealed who the signing was.

Victor Hugo: Lanyard with initials ‘VH’ released before the announcement of the signing of Atlético-MG — Photo: Reproduction / X

In the squad, the midfielder will be company with his namesake (despite the different spelling): last week, Atlético renewed the loan contract with 34-year-old defender Vitor Hugo.

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As a member of Flamengo’s professional team between 2022 and 2024, Victor Hugo participated in the Copa do Brasil and Libertadores (2022) champion squad, as well as in the 2024 state champion squad. The young man also has calls for the youth team on his resume.

Now, he becomes part of the squad led by coach Jorge Sampaoli, with whom he worked at Rio’s red-black team. An interview with the Argentine, from 2023, when he was coaching the Gávea club, was remembered in Victor Hugo’s announcement.

“Victor Hugo, for me, is not a promise, but a reality. He is not a young man who enters the game, he is not a late-game player”, said the coach at the time. Victor Hugo remembers that the statement was made at a “transition moment” in his career, when he was in his second year as a professional, something “very important” for his confidence at that time.