LAFC has signed free agent defender Marlon to a contract through 2024 with a club option through June 2025. Marlon will occupy an international roster slot and will be added to the roster upon receipt of his P1 Visa.
Marlon, 29, joins LAFC after spending 2023-2024 on loan to Fluminense of Brazil from Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk. Marlon helped Fluminense win the club’s first-ever Copa Libertadores Final and appeared in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup. Prior to returning to Fluminense, Marlon appeared in 28 Italian Serie A matches while on loan from Shakhtar to Monza in 2022-2023.
The Brazil native originally signed with Shakhtar Donetsk in July 2021 from Italian club Sassuolo. Appearing in 12 matches, Marlon helped Shakhtar win the 2021 Ukrainian Super Cup.
The sturdy defender began his career at Fluminense, making his professional debut at 18 years old in 2014. After enjoying success in Brazil, he was then loaned to FC Barcelona in 2016, where he made 27 appearances for Barça B, helping them to La Liga 2a promotion. Permanently transferred to Barcelona in 2017, Marlon made two appearances in La Liga and one in the Champions League before moving on loan to OGC Nice of the French Ligue 1 for 2017-2018.
In the summer of 2018, Marlon moved permanently to Sassuolo, appearing in 65 Serie A matches from 2018-2021.
Marlon played for Brazil at the U-20 international level, and helped the team advance to the final of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He also played at the 2015 South American U-20 Championship.
Name: Marlon (Marlon Santos da Silva Barbosa)
Position: Defender
Born: 9/7/1995
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 179 lbs.
Birthplace: Duque de Caxias, Brazil
Hometown: Duque de Caxias, Brazil
Citizenship: Brazil
Last Club: Fluminense (Brazil)
TRANSACTION:
LAFC signs free agent defender Marlon through 2024 with a club option for the 2025 season.
