Atlético Mineiro, which in 2021 won the titles of the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil, announced this Monday an agreement with the Russian Krasnodar that allows Paraguayan defender Júnior Alonso to return on loan to the team from the city of Belo Horizonte until the end of 2022.
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“Atlético Mineiro and Krasnodar reached an agreement for our idol Júnior Alonso to return to the club, on loan, until the end of this season,” the Brazilian champion announced in a message posted on his social networks.
The information adds that the defender is expected this Monday in Belo Horizonte and that this week he will join training with his “old and new” teammates.
The return of Junior Alonso was announced two months after Mineiro sold the rights to the Paraguayan defender to the Russian team for a value that he did not disclose (8.5 million dollars according to press reports) and after the exceptional rule of FIFA that allows transfers of players from clubs affected by the current war between Russia and Ukraine.
Alonso’s contract with the Russian club was suspended due to the war and FIFA authorized the player to negotiate his transfer in order to continue in activity while the crisis is overcome.
The defender, who had been playing with Krasnodar in preparation matches for the Russian championship and was not lined up in any official match, traveled to Paraguay when the war began and admitted his desire to return to Mineiro.
The leaders of the Brazilian club also admitted their desire to re-enlist the services of the defender and former captain and quickly reached an agreement.
Key in the latest titles
“In a year and a half wearing the black and white shirt, the defender played 89 games, scored two goals and won the titles of the Brazilian Championship (2021), the Copa do Brasil (2021) and the Mineiro Championship (2020-2021)” , highlighted the club in its message on social networks.
The Paraguayan was an undisputed starter in the 2021 season, the most successful in the history of Atlético Mineiro and in which he shared a dressing room with internationals such as the Brazilian Hulk, the Spanish-Brazilian Diego Costa, the Argentines Nacho Fernández and Matías Zaracho and the Chilean Eduardo Costa.
Past in Celtic
The 28-year-old Paraguayan arrived at Mineiro after being champion of the Argentine Super League in March 2020 with Boca Juniors, where he played on loan from French Lille, then owner of his rights.
The central defender, who played in the 2019 and 2021 Copa América with his country’s national team, emerged as a professional at Cerro Porteño in Asunción and also played for Celta de Vigo before joining Boca Juniors in 2018 after two years of European football career.
To take his place, the Mineiro hired the captain of the Uruguayan team, Diego Godín, with whom he will have to dispute or share ownership.
