ratings updated 20 Aug 2026
Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Santos.
Performance data · by competition
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Serie A | 14 | 0 | 0 | 806 | 6.88 |
 Paulista - A1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 525 | 6.86 |
 CONMEBOL Sudamericana | 5 | 0 | 0 | 405 | 7.22 |
 Copa Do Brasil | 2 | 0 | 0 | 129 | 6.85 |
Scout report
Willian Arão is a 34-year-old defensive midfielder at Santos, enjoying a standout season — 1 goals and 0 assists in 18 appearances, a Season grade of 24, top 20% of Serie A defensive midfielders. On long-term scout potential he's rated 18.5, ranking 286th of 311 in the Serie A. A seasoned veteran, he has been a rotation option (51.4% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.63 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Arão.
Judged on this season alone, Arão graded 24 — a strong campaign that ranks top 20% of the 15 defensive midfielders in the Serie A, on 1 goal, 0 assists and 3.634 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 7 → 24). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2022/23.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 19, 15th of 15 of the 15 defensive midfielders in the Serie A. At 34 Arão is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 4.4 reflects that trajectory.
Below his 2022/23 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.
Output in context · Santos finished 14th of 20 · a lower-table side
3.63 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 3 clean sheets across 18 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (14th of 20) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.
Strengths
- Defensive volume. 3.63 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.
Watch points
- Game time. Only 51.4% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
- Age curve. At 34, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
- Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.
Outlook
With a Rating of 18.5, Arão carries the 15th-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the Serie A of 15, and he is posting that for a lower-table side (Santos finished 14th of 20) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (3.63 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
Season statistics
Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Serie A with 600+ minutes this season.
Shooting
Passing
Possession
Defending
Yellow/red cards
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
