Felipe Anderson assures he informed Lazio of his decision to join Palmeiras in July, which was ‘a lifestyle choice’ for a return to Brazil rather than to Juventus.
The forward announced on social media that he was not going to sign a new contract with Lazio, which expires on June 30, and minutes later Palmeiras confirmed he had put pen to paper with them instead as a free agent.
Many had assumed he was going to remain in Serie A with a move to Juventus, so were surprised by this switch.
“I don’t really follow the newspapers or transfer stories, but this time there was something concrete and we considered it opportune to confirm that,” Felipe Anderson told DAZN.
“I want to publicly thank the President, who I have a very good rapport with, and the director of sport. We had a dialogue, they understood what I needed and were always fair with me.
“It was a lifestyle choice and certainly does not damage my bond with this club, with the owners and the fans.”
Felipe Anderson was speaking after playing in a crucial 1-0 victory away to Genoa, which keeps them in the race for a European spot.
The goal was scored by Luis Alberto, who last week announced he wanted to terminate the contract by mutual consent.
“We have improved our position in the table and this will help us to end the season on a high. We know the fans want us to always win, we give our heart to honour the jersey.”
Their next test is the Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus on Tuesday, aiming to overturn a 2-0 first leg defeat.