The Paulinho that Corinthians fans have in his memory is the one who was one of the main pieces of the team that won the unprecedented Libertadores cup, as well as the two-time world championship, in 2012.
In the eight years away from Parque São Jorge, however, the midfielder never managed to repeat the football that accredited him for the 2014 World Cup and gave him international prominence. Despite having added titles to his curriculum, he had been deleted by Tottenham (ING) and Barcelona (ESP) and only managed to stand out playing in China.
This Wednesday (15), he signed a contract until December 31, 2023 to be one of the main reinforcements of the Corinthians team in the next two years. On his return, Paulinho will have to deal with high expectations as he seeks to find himself on the pitch.
“I’m very happy to be able to play again with the Corinthians shirt, the club I love and which was the pillar of my entire career,” said the player. “Now, it’s back to playing alongside Fiel with the certainty that we’ll make history together again.”
It’s been almost three months since he’s been in an official duel. It was on September 17 that the athlete played the last of his only four games for Al-Ahly, from Saudi Arabia, before terminating his relationship.
Since then, he has sought to maintain his fitness on his own while waiting for his destiny to be defined. In November, for about a week, he used the facilities of the Corinthians CT, at Tietê Ecological Park. Until forwarding the agreement with the team, he waited for an offer from Europe or even China, something that did not materialize.
As the steering wheel managed by Giuliano Bertolucci was free on the market, the São Paulo club will have to pay only their salaries, in addition to gloves (a prize for signing the agreement).
On the same day it announced the idol’s return, Corinthians announced a partnership with Grupo Taunsa, a manufacturer and supplier of agricultural products and services. The hiring of the player was linked to the sponsor, who will also have a relationship with the club until the end of 2023.
Paulinho’s situation in this transfer window is quite different from that observed in other moments of his career. It has already been among the great world negotiations.
In 2013, the athlete left Parque São Jorge when Tottenham decided to pay 19 million euros for him (R$ 82 million at the current price), according to the Transfermarkt website. At the time, the Corinthians were left with 50% of the value, as the other half of the economic rights belonged to Audax-SP.
During two seasons with the English team, he played 67 games and scored 10 goals, but was unable to establish himself as a starter — in his second year, he started in 30 games, starting only 7. He was subsequently sold to Guangzhou, of China.
There were three seasons at the Chinese club, where he won his first titles outside Brazil, all under the command of Luiz Felipe Scolari, coach with whom he had been champion of the 2013 Confederations Cup and played in the 2014 World Cup.
Together, they won the Chinese Superleague (2015, 2016 and 2017), the China Cup (2016) and the China Super Cup (2016 and 2017).
In 2017, the defensive midfielder was still a constant presence in the Brazilian team, already directed by Tite, when Barcelona invested 40 million euros (R$ 250 million at the current price) to take him to Camp Nou.
The Brazilian spent only one season in Spain, where he won the Spanish Championship (2017/18) and the King’s Cup (2017/18), but again without much shine. There were 49 games and 9 goals, in a period in which he alternated between the starting lineup and the bench, playing for position mainly with Croatian Ivan Rakitic.
The following season, he would return to Guangzhou, this time on loan. In 2019 alone, the Chinese club exercised its purchase option and paid 42 million euros (R$ 267 million at the current price), making the athlete the third biggest sale in the history of the Spanish club, only behind Neymar and Luiz Figo.
While moving millions off the pitch, Paulinho saw his credit drop on the field. After playing in the last two World Cups, the defensive midfielder has not participated in the cycle for the Qatar Cup, in 2022.
His last game for Brazil was the friendly against Cameroon, in 2018, when Tite’s team beat the African team 1-0.
Back at Corinthians, he will again have a chance to draw the national coach’s attention. In the team, he will reinforce a squad that gained strength in the 2021 season after the arrivals of Renato Augusto, Giuliano, Willian and Róger Guedes.
“Next year, the animal will catch on. I’m counting on your presence, and let’s go. We’re together, great end of the year for you,” stated Paulinho.
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