Flamengo locks down key player as Erick Pulgar extends deal with Libertadores champions

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Flamengo has secured the future of one of the key pieces of its squad. The reigning Copa Libertadores champions announced Wednesday that Chilean midfielder Erick Pulgar has signed a contract extension that will keep him in Rio de Janeiro through 2029.

The Chile international joined the club in 2022 and has gradually established himself as a key presence in Flamengo's midfield.

Pulgar became a regular starter under then-head coach Jorge Sampaoli and maintained that status through the managerial changes the club has experienced since 2023.

His extension comes after months of negotiations between Flamengo and the player's representatives, with both sides ultimately reaching an agreement to prolong his stay in Rio.

How long is Erick Pulgar's new Flamengo contract?

Erick Pulgar's new deal with Flamengo runs through 2029.

Since arriving from European soccer, the midfielder has made 172 appearances for the Brazilian club.

Flamengo has recorded 107 wins, 39 draws and 26 defeats in those matches, with Pulgar contributing six goals and nine assists.

“I am very happy. This is what my family and I wanted. The time I have spent here, all the work I have done and the perseverance I have shown have helped me become the player I am today. And most importantly, the affection from the fans. That is the greatest reward I have,” Pulgar said in comments released by the club.

Pulgar is a two-time Copa Libertadores champion with Flamengo

The Chilean midfielder has played a role in some of Flamengo's biggest successes during his time in Brazil.

Pulgar won the Copa Libertadores with the club in 2022 and 2025, while also lifting the 2025 Brazilian championship.

His new contract allows the reigning Libertadores champions to retain a player who has become an established part of the team's structure over the past several seasons.

Flamengo also strengthens its squad with new signings

Pulgar's extension follows Flamengo's announcement of two attacking additions: 19-year-old Argentine forward Joaquín Freitas, arriving from River Plate, and 23-year-old Ecuadorian winger Anthony Valencia, signed from Royal Antwerp.

The moves are designed to strengthen Flamengo's attacking options amid the complicated situation surrounding Gonzalo Plata's failed transfer to Dynamo Moscow.

Plata traveled to Russia and even posed in the Russian club's kit, but the move eventually collapsed after Dynamo cited alleged issues with his medical examinations.

Flamengo rejected that version of events and stated that the Ecuadorian is fit to compete at the highest level.