Berlin, Dec 17 (NationPress) Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg has officially confirmed the acquisition of Brazilian defender Cleiton Santana dos Santos from Flamengo, effective January 1, 2026. Cleiton has signed a contract that will keep him at the club until June 30, 2030.

He began his journey at Flamengo's prestigious youth academy at the U-20 level in 2020, making his professional debut for the nine-time Brazilian champions in January 2022. The towering 1.94-meter defender has made seven appearances in Brazil's top division.

This move marks Cleiton's first experience playing outside of Brazil.

VfL's sporting director, Peter Christiansen, commented, "Cleiton possesses a powerful physical presence coupled with excellent game intelligence. He is a modern, left-footed central defender with immense potential for growth. Our scouting department did a fantastic job in identifying him. We believe Cleiton will gradually adapt to the Bundesliga and play a crucial role in our defense moving forward."

Cleiton expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "Joining VfL Wolfsburg represents a significant milestone in my career. The Bundesliga is among the strongest leagues globally, and I aim to learn and grow here every day. I truly appreciate the trust the club has placed in me and eagerly anticipate donning the Wolfsburg jersey soon."

Currently, VfL Wolfsburg is positioned 13th in the Bundesliga with 15 points from 14 matches, having secured four wins, three draws, and suffered seven defeats.

Leading the table are the German titans FC Bayern Munich, amassing 38 points from 14 matches, featuring 12 wins and two draws. They are followed by RB Leipzig (29 points) and Borussia Dortmund (29 points), with Bayer Leverkusen in fourth (26 points) and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim holding fifth place.

Founded in September 1945, Wolfsburg is a professional sports club that originated from a multi-sports organization for Volkswagen employees in the city.