Atletico Madrid Reach Agreement for Brazilian Left Back Renan Lodi
Atletico Madrid have reached an agreement with Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense for left-back Renan Lodi, with the news confirmed late Sunday evening.
A preliminary agreement between the club and the player has been reached, with Lodi completing his medical and signing a six-year contract with the Madrid club.
Lodi has been at Paranaense since 2012, joining as a youth player. He has gone on to make 49 appearances at the club, scoring four goals and grabbing eight assists in the process.
With the agreement confirmed on Madrid's website, the statement reads: "Atletico de Madrid and Club Athletico Paranaense have formalised the preliminary agreement that both clubs reached over the transfer of Renan Lodi.
"The Brazilian has already signed a six-year contract with our club after passing the medical at the Clinica Universidad de Navarra."
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Speaking to journalists after passing the medical, Lodi said: "I'm very happy to be here and arrive to a big club. I'm very happy to be able to work alongside Simeone, he is one of the best coaches."
Madrid have been on the hunt for a new left-back following Lucas Hernandez'a departure and the conclusion of Filipe Luis' contract. In a summer of change for Atletico, Lodi becomes the club's fifth signing this summer, after Joao Felix, Marcos Llorente, Hector Herrera and Felipe joined the club earlier in the window.
Like most Brazilian full-backs, Lodi offers great attacking threat while he has also credited his defensive attributes as one of his main assets. Speaking to Marca, following his medical the player said: "I would say I define myself as an athlete. I defend well and I attack very well."
