O Bahia confirmed on Tuesday (08/26) the arrival of the Argentine striker Mateo Sanabria21 years old. The player signed a contract valid until December 2030 after the club shed five million euros (about $ 31.8 million) to get him from Al Ain, from the United Arab Emirates. The announcement was made by Tricolor’s social networks.
Sanabria is already in Salvador and can debut on Thursday against Fluminense in the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Cup. Coach Rogério Ceni raised this possibility after the victory over Santos last Sunday, but stressed that the use depends on the athlete’s regularization in the CBF Daily Newsletter (IDB).
– So far he’s not registered. It’s here, but still with no game conditions. Perhaps until Monday the situation is resolved. If regularized, we will have two days to prepare, show videos and adjust. If you are in good condition, you can appear on Thursday, ”said Ceni.
Initially, Bahia tried to bring the striker on loan with purchase option, but Al Ain refused. After a new offer definitively, the parties reached an agreement.
MATEO SANABRIA: How play and career
Born on March 31, 2004, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sanabria has 1.78 m. He plays as a right-handed left tip, the same function as Erick Pulga, Bahia’s highlight of the season. Not having another athlete of this profile in the cast, the board put the hiring as a priority in this transfer window.
Revealed by Lanús, Sanabria also defended Central Cordoba on loan before being sold to Al Ain in August 2024. In Football of the Emirates, he participated in 33 matches – 14 as a starter and 19 from the bank – with an average of 40 minutes in the field per game.
Last season, he recorded six goals and two assists in 1,356 minutes, which corresponds to a direct participation every 170 minutes. In addition, it maintained an average of one and two right dribbles per match in the competitions it played.
The athlete has seven games for the U-20 team of Argentina, without scored goals. However, it never came to work for the main national team.
🔎 The man plays y plays #Mateosanabria #Bahiadasartes #BBMP pic.twitter.com/v7zRO0nyqq
– Esporte Clube Bahia (@ecbahia) August 26, 2025
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