Thiago Maia credits Paulo Sousa for decision to remain at Flamengo | OneFootball

Thiago Maia has revealed how a conversation with new manager Paulo Sousa convinced him to stay at Flamengo.

The 24-year-old midfielder has spent the last two years on loan with the Rubro-Negro from Lille, but he admitted that he was set to move on before Sousa’s intervention.

“Dude, until then, I wasn’t staying. It was a pretty tough conversation, but thank God Paulo arrived,” Maia told Jornal O Dia reporter Venê Casagrande.

“I had a conversation with him, he’s a very accessible guy and he wants me at the club too. So there’s a big part of it.

“We made a video call. Was pretty cool. I felt confident and happy. First time this has happened to me, but I’m happy and confident and I hope that 2022 can be very different from 2021.”

As regards signing with the Mengão on a permanent basis, the holding midfielder expects to complete the deal inside the next 48 hours.

“Probably the signature (with Flamengo) is very close,” he said.

“I believe that Monday or Tuesday I will be able to sign. I actually signed the termination with Lille. I’m very happy, it was my goal, it was my desire to stay.

“Now, I can give back on the field, which is playing, winning several titles for Flamengo.”

Maia has an indifferent season last year. He featured in 28 of 38 Brasileirão games, but 11 of those appearances came off the bench.