Who is new Wolfsburg central defender Cleiton?
Most recently at Flamengo, centre-back Cleiton has all of the key attributes to be a success in Lower Saxony and the player's signing for Wolfsburg will spark memories of former club-great Naldo, who enjoyed DFB Cup success during his storied time at the Volkswagen Arena.
Stats correct as of 17 December 2025
Cleiton Santana dos Santos
Age: 22 (25 April 2003)
Club: Wolfsburg
Position: Defender
Country: Brazil
Key stats
Born in Taperoá in the Brazilian state of Bahia, Cleiton shone from an early age while at Canaã Esporte Clube. The world-renowned Flamengo were suitably impressed and decided to bring the youngster into their ranks for an intensive three-month loan spell.
Cleiton won team officials over to such an extent that he was brought into the fold and from there, it didn’t take long for the lithe centre-back to progress up through the club’s ranks, going from U17 to U20 level in next to no time.
Signing pro terms with the Brazilian giants in 2021 preceded a senior bow against against Portuguesa-RJ early the following year. The 6’4” defender would go on to make seven appearances in Brazil’s Serie A.
On 17 December, it was anncounced that Cleiton had agreed to pen a deal that runs until 30 June 2030 with Wolfsburg.
Plays a bit like: Naldo
Wolfsburg fans have very fond memories of a famous Brazilian central defender in their ranks and immediate comparisons with the Wolves DFB Cup winner Naldo will be hard to avoid for Cleiton. At 6'6", Naldo - who scored 20 goals in 163 appearances for Wolfsburg while also appearing for Werder Bremen and Schalke in the Bundesliga - stands slightly taller than the new South American arrival in Lower Saxony.
However, with his commanding presence at the back, ability to calmly bring the ball forward, win duels and score important headed goals, Cleiton has all the attributes to emulate his famous predecessor in Germany's top tier.
Did you know?
While he was a member of the Flamengo set-up that competed at last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, Cleiton failed to see any on-field action.
What they're saying
“Cleiton combines physical presence with a good understanding of the game. He’s a left-footed, modern centre-back with great development potential. We believe Cleiton has the ability to gradually adapt to the level of the Bundesliga and take on an important role in our defence going forward.” - Wolfsburg managing director for sport, Peter Christiansen
“The move to VfL Wolfsburg is a big step for me in my career. The Bundesliga is one of the strongest leagues in the world, and I want to learn and improve every day here. I’m very grateful to the club for their trust and look forward to soon wearing the Wolfsburg shirt on the pitch.” – Cleiton
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