Jamal Lewis says his loan move to Sao Paulo from Newcastle United was an opportunity he “couldn’t pass up”.
The 26-year-old Northern Ireland international will become the first British-born player to represent the Brazilian club.
The left-back has joined Sao Paulo on a loan deal through to June 30, 2025, with an option to buy.
“When I found out about this opportunity, I immediately told my manager that I would like to come to Brazil,” Lewis told the Sao Paulo website.
“It’s an honour to play for a giant like Sao Paulo and to be the first British athlete in the club’s history. I’m very excited to play for a three-time world champion club.”
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Sao Paulo’s football director Carlos Belmonte said of the deal: “We used the creativity and assessments of our analysis team to come up with the name of Jamal Lewis, a full-back with the characteristics we were looking for.
“He is a young player with experience in English football. He is another player who will strengthen our group in the three competitions we are competing in.”
Sao Paulo are currently sixth in Brazil’s Serie A, in the quarter-final stage of the Copa do Brasil and will play Botafogo in the quarter finals of the Copa Libertadores — South America’s equivalent of the Champions League.
Lewis has been capped 36 times by Northern Ireland (Rafa Babot/Getty Images)
Lewis joined Newcastle from Norwich City in 2020 for £15million but made just 36 first-team appearances for the club and spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Championship side Watford.
The full-back made 100 appearances for Norwich including in their promotion to the Premier League in 2019, and has been capped 36 times by Northern Ireland.
(Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
