Dani Alves Moves Toward Club Ownership and Possible Playing Return in Portugal
Dani Alves is edging closer to a return to football after finalising plans to acquire Portuguese third division side Sporting Clube de São João de Ver, according to sources close to the deal.
The former Barcelona and Brazil defender, now 42, is also weighing up a six month playing contract with the club, a move that would mark his first appearance on the pitch since early 2023.
Alves has been out of competitive action since January 2023, when his contract with Mexican side Pumas was terminated following his arrest in Barcelona. Earlier this year, a Spanish court overturned his rape conviction on appeal, citing insufficient evidence to dismiss the presumption of innocence.
The ruling brought an end to a long legal process that saw Alves spend more than a year in custody before being released in March 2024 after posting one million euros in bail while awaiting the appeal outcome.
Since leaving prison, Alves has remained active in football circles across Europe, working primarily as an agent while preparing for a possible comeback. He has continued individual training at home and believes he would need around 30 days to regain full match fitness if a deal is completed.
Sporting Clube de São João de Ver, based in Portugal’s Aveiro region, compete in the third tier and are backed by a group of Brazilian investors supporting Alves in the takeover. The squad already features three Brazilian players, including former Palmeiras winger Washington, underlining the club’s growing South American connection.
Alves last played a professional match on January 8, 2023, in Liga MX, bringing an abrupt halt to a career that included spells at Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint Germain and Sao Paulo, along with 126 caps for Brazil.
Should the acquisition be completed and a short term contract agreed, the move would represent a rare player owner arrangement and a significant step in Alves’ stated ambition to return to the game before transitioning into coaching.
For São João de Ver, the potential arrival of one of football’s most decorated full backs brings global attention. For Alves, it offers a final chapter on the pitch and a new beginning in football management.