Check out Maílton’s stats, right-back set to join São Paulo | OneFootball

The São Paulo Paulo has finalized the signing of 27-year-old right-back Maílton, who was on loan to Chapecoense from Metalist, Ukraine. The player arrived in the state capital on Thursday to undergo medical exams and sign a contract until the end of 2027 with the Tricolor. To make the deal possible, the São Paulo management forgave the debt that the Ukrainian club had for the purchase of forward Paulinho Bóia in 2021.

Revealed in the youth categories of Palmeiras, Maílton played for several Brazilian football clubs before standing out for Chapecoense in the B Series. In 2024 and 2025, he was one of the team's main players, scoring six goals and providing five assists in 20 rounds of the current national tournament. In total, for the club, he played 76 games, scoring nine goals and providing 12 assists.

Throughout his career, the right-back has played 179 games, scoring 17 goals and providing 20 assists, defending teams such as Operário Ferroviário (29 games, 4 goals, and 2 assists), Ponte Preta (28 games, 3 goals, and 2 assists), Atlético-MG (11 games, 1 goal, and 2 assists), in addition to passing through Santa Cruz, Coritiba, Mirassol, and Metalist itself.

In an interview with Arquibancada Tricolor, Maílton celebrated the opportunity to wear the São Paulo jersey. "It's inexplicable, the reality hasn't sunk in yet. From the moment I take the exams and sign the contract, it will sink in a bit. But there's no way to describe it yet. I'm very happy and excited, and if God wants, everything will be alright," said the player.

Maílton's arrival reinforces a sector that was lacking in the São Paulo squad, which currently only has the Portuguese Cédric Soares, the starter in the position, and the young Maik, 20 years old.

The new reinforcement arrives adapted to playing as a wing in a scheme with three defenders, a model already used by both Chapecoense and Hernán Crespo, which can facilitate his immediate adaptation.

São Paulo returns to the field this Sunday, at 20h30 (Brasília time), at Morumbi, to face Atlético-MG in the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship. Unbeaten for seven games, the Tricolor occupies 7th place with 29 points and seeks a spot in the G6 of the competition.

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