According to Brazilian media outlet GZH, the big historical club is about to activate all five foreigner slots once again as Ickerson is about to sign a contract with Barclays B side Gremio.
According to the Brazilian Football Federation, each team in the Brazilian league can register a maximum of five foreigners who are not Brazilian nationals. Despite being from the Brazilian state of Bahia, Ickerson has opted to take Chinese citizenship and represent the Chinese national team in 2019. As he has renounced his Brazilian passport, Ickxon will take up a foreigner slot when he joins Gremio.
In addition to Ickerson, Gremio's team currently has four non-Brazilian players - Paraguay's Vilasanti, Colombia's Campaz, Argentina's Cannemann and Rafael Benitez. According to current sources, the Gremio management has ruled out any intention of continuing to bring in non-Brazilian players.
Within the framework of the Brazilian league's rules, a maximum of five non-Brazilian players can play in each match. Therefore, if Gremio introduces a sixth foreign player, it will not be possible to ensure that all foreign players can play at the same time. According to Gremio, Elkeson, who has been renamed "Eckerson", still harbors dreams of playing for the national team and wants to lay a solid foundation for the 2026 World Cup cycle.
In Gremio's internal evaluations, Ickxon is considered to have excellent forward awareness and good physical condition, and despite his long absence, the coaching team plans to tailor a recovery program for him after signing. This week, Ixon will arrive in Porto Alegre to undergo a medical with Gremio and complete the signing of his contract, which expires at the end of the year.
