Reinier Jesus, once hailed as one of the brightest young prospects in Brazilian football, is heading back home. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has officially joined Atlético Mineiro after a largely underwhelming stint in Europe.
The move comes five and a half years after Real Madrid secured his signature from Flamengo in a high-profile €30 million deal that never quite lived up to the hype.
Football expert Fabrizio Romano reported this via his official X account, claiming that the Madrid team had let go of Reinier Jesus.
He tweeted:
“Reinier leaves Real Madrid and joins Atletico Mineiro; deal done. Real Madrid let Reinier leave on a free transfer with 50% sell-on clause.”
It’s been a rough few years for Reinier. Back in early 2020, Madrid paid €30 million to bring him in from Flamengo. He was 18 then, full of promise, and people were already comparing him to the likes of Kaká. But things just didn’t fall into place. He never actually got the chance to play a competitive game for Madrid’s first team.
Softfootball gathered that he bounced around Europe on loans. First to Borussia Dortmund, where he struggled to get minutes. Then to Girona.
After that, more short stints that never really amounted to anything meaningful. By the time 2025 rolled around, it was clear that both Reinier and Madrid needed to go separate ways.
Atlético Mineiro stepped up and are now offering him a fresh start. The deal reportedly runs until 2030, where he is expected to turn his career around. At 23, he’s still young, though far from the rising wonderkid people once talked about.
As for Madrid, they’ve just closed the chapter on a gamble that didn’t pay off. They’ll hope that if he shines back home, they’ll at least get something from the 50% rights they kept. However, they can take solace from another successful transfer window capped with the signing of Franco Mastantuono.
There’s no guarantee this will be the turning point, but it feels like a move that had to happen. Going back to Brazil, playing in front of familiar fans might help him regain confidence and consistency.
