Botafogo made official the hiring of Venezuelan Jefferson Savarino, seeking to recover from last year’s historic setback in the Brasileirao and with the immediate objective of overcoming the preliminary phase of the Copa Libertadores and getting into the group stage. 27 years old and with the possibility of playing as a winger on both wings, he arrives from Real Salt Lake of the MLS.
The footballer signed his contract with Fogão until December 2026, the club said in a statement, in which it did not specify the amount of the operation. In the last two seasons in the United States he achieved good numbers: 18 goals and 8 assists in 54 games.
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It will be his second stage in Brazil for the international with Venezuela. At Atlético Mineiro he left a great impression on a team that won the Brasileirao with authority in 2021, the Copa do Brasil that same year, in addition to the Brazilian Super Cup in 2022 and three Mineiro Championships.
Hora de conferir os gols de Jefferson Savarino, o novo atacante do Fogão ⚽️▶️ #VamosBOTAFOGO pic.twitter.com/5XLrY4xqBp
— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) January 11, 2024
Botafogo fights for a place in the Libertadores groups
The Rio team, now without Diego Costa who did not renew his contract, finished in fifth place in the last Brasileirao after being the leader for 31 seasons and wasting a 13-point advantage over their second team. That position put him in the preliminary phase of the Copa Libertadores and he hopes to meet his rival who will emerge from a previous clash between Aurora from Bolivia and Melgar from Peru.
Their participation in that stage of the continental tournament will be at the end of February. A month before, at the end of this January, he will begin playing in the Carioca Championship, while he will try to cleanse his image in the Brasileirao 2024 that begins in April.
