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SANDY — Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro announced the transfer of winger Jefferson Savarino to Real Salt Lake Friday, giving RSL its second splash addition in the final week of the MLS transfer window.
"Thanks, Sava!" a tweet reads in Portuguese. "The Galo agreed to sell Savarino to Real Salt Lake, from the USA. Since 2020 at Atletico, jersey number 17 has played 99 games and scored 21 goals. During the period, he won six titles. Simply historic! Good luck, Savaliso!"
Rumors began to swirl about the 25-year-old returning to RSL earlier this week, and renowned soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed the move was completed Friday prior to the official announcement from Atletico.
RSL has yet to make an official statement on the transfer, but Romano reported it is a three-and-a-half-year deal and Atletico will receive 20% of the sale should RSL move Savarino again in the future.
Savarino joined RSL in May 2017 from his native country of Venezuela and scored 22 goals in three seasons with the Claret and Cobalt. He also added 21 assists during his time at RSL as the team's primary playmaker.
¡Gracias, Sava! 💪🏼🇻🇪
— Atlético (@Atletico) April 30, 2022
🤝 O #Galo acertou a venda de Savarino para o Real Salt Lake, dos EUA: https://t.co/N285owQglW
Desde 2020 no Atlético, o camisa 17 fez 99 jogos e 21 gols pelo Alvinegro. No período, conquistou seis títulos. Simplesmente, histórico!🏆
Sucesso, Savaliso!👏🏼⚽️ pic.twitter.com/KWde24fi6D
He upped his scoring output every year in his initial RSL stint, going from six goals in 2017, to seven in 2018, and nine in 2019. His improvement brought attention from bigger clubs, including reported interest from Newcastle United and West Ham United of the English Premier League in 2019. He was eventually sold to Atletico in February 2020 for a "club record" amount, rumored to be in the $2 million range.
Savarino's upward trajectory did not end when he left Utah, as he once again increased his goals scored to 10 in 2020, his first season in Brazil. After dropping in appearances and goals in 2021, Savarino will look to rejuvenate his play with a leading role at RSL.
His return, coupled with the permanent transfer of Anderson Julio, spells much-needed help for the RSL attack. MLS insider Tom Bogert reported RSL is paying $2 million to bring Savarino back, the same amount it reportedly received from Atletico in 2020.
Jefferson Savarino had a goal and two assists to help Real Salt Lake beat the LA Galaxy 6-2 on Saturday night. He tops the MLS rankings for the third week in a row.
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 4, 2018
(📍 @Audi) pic.twitter.com/1nAXykhTad
