Fortaleza did all they could to recruit German attacking midfielder Lukas Podolski, the 2014 World Cup winner. The team even met with him through video conference to give him an 18-month contract, but the veteran forward ultimately chose boyhood Polish side Gornik Zabrze.
The Lion of Pici found themselves in a difficult situation. Querétaro (from Mexico, where Ronaldinho played in 2014), as well as teams from Qatar and Turkey, were among the other offers on the table for the 36-year-old veteran.
The Ceará club"s president, Marcelo Paz, said that he had made an official approach to the player, who had expressed interest in playing in Brazil, particularly given the impact that Fortaleza fans had on social media.
10…👀
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The Legend continues
⚪️🔵🔴#gornikzabrze #trojkolorowi #legendcontinues #czternastokrotnimistrzowie #roosevelta81 #jadymydurs pic.twitter.com/aBQongGxtk— Górnik Zabrze (@GornikZabrzeSSA) July 5, 2021
"We made a recommendation and even met with him about Zoom, where we discussed the club, the city, the Brazilian championship, and other details. It was a pleasant conversation, but he thought he was still on vacation with his family, and the news leaked yesterday [domingo], causing all of this to happen. He had “raided" our fans, which was ludicrous. " said Marcelo.
In an interview quoted by reliable outlets, the president said, “We even communicated with him again on Instagram," adding," he was wonderful but, in the end, concluded with the Polish squad."
When Podolski"s contract with Antalyaspor in Turkey expired at the end of June, he was free to sign with anyone. Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Inter Milan, and Galatasaray were among his past clubs.
Fortaleza will compete in the Copa do Brasil and the Serie A of the Brazilian Championship in 2021. With 15 points, the team is in fifth place in the national competition.
