Former Benfica Brazil international center-back Lucas Veríssimo transferred back to Santos..

Santos announced on their official website on Tuesday that former Benfica Brazil international center-back Lucas Veríssimo has transferred back to the club from Al-Duhail.

According to Santos' official statement, Veríssimo has signed on a three-and-a-half-year contract with the club which runs until the winter of 2029.

This transfer marks Veríssimo's return to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A powerhouse after five yeas, and also signifies an end to him frequently transferring away over the past five years.

Since leaving Santos for Benfica, Veríssimo has frequently faced the problem of being frozen out from the squad in his second year and having to transfer, a career trajectory very similar to that of two of his compatriots, former Inter Milan striker Gabriel Barbosa and former Barcelona striker Vitor Roque.

About Lucas Veríssimo

The 30-year-old Veríssimo was born on July 7, 1995, in Jundiail, Brazil. He is 1.88 meters tall and plays as a center-back. 

Veríssimo joined Santos' youth academy in 2013 and completed his Santos first-team debut in January 2016 in a Campeonato Paulista match.

During his five-year spell at Santos, Veríssimo won the Campeonato Paulista title once with the club.

In January 2021, Veríssimo joined Benfica for €6.5 million.

During his two-and-a-half-year spell with As Águias, although Veríssimo won the Portuguese Primeira Liga title once with the club, he was frozen out from the squad after German coach Roger Schmidt took over as head coach.

In July 2023, Veríssimo was loaned-out to Corinthians. During his time there, he helped the club reach the Copa do Brasil semi-finals.

The following January, Veríssimo joined Al-Duhail for €9 million.

During his year-and-a-half spell with Al-Duhail, despite decent performances, Veríssimo struggled to establish himself as a regular starter due to frequent changes in coaching staff.

In the summer of 2025, Veríssimo was loaned-out to Al-Wakrah.

In the first half of the season, Veríssimo made 16 appearances for the Qatar Stars League club in all competitions, without scoring a goal or providing an assist.

Image source: Internet / Santos official website