Former Manchester City midfielder and captain Brazilian Fernandinho has returned to his country to defend the colors of his early club Atlético Paranaense, the latter announced on Monday.

The 37-year-old, who surprised City manager Josep Guardiola by announcing his retirement from the Premier League champions after spending nine seasons with him, has signed a two and a half year contract with Paranaense.

“I’m happy to be back home… knowing that I can apply what I’ve achieved over the years playing in Europe,” Fernandinho said at a press conference upon his arrival in the southern city of Curitiba.

Born in the state of Parana and its capital, Curitiba, Fernandinho started his football career with Atlético Paranaense in 2002 before moving to Ukraine to join Shakhtar in 2005.

After eight years at Shakhtar, during which he won the Ukrainian league six times and the Ukrainian Cup four times, in addition to the European Union Cup in 2009, Fernandinho caught the eye of City.

During this period, he joined the Brazil national team, with whom he played 50 matches between 2011 and 2019, and earned him the 2019 Copa America for South American Teams title and two World Cup appearances.

With City, Fernandinho has won the Premier League title five times, as well as the FA Cup once and the League Cup six times, helping to take him to the Champions League final in 2021 for the first time in the club’s history.

Atlético Paranaense is currently third in the Brazilian League and is in contention for the final trophy of the Copa Libertadores for South American clubs, where it will face Paraguay’s Libertad.

Fernandinho will be able to defend the colors of his new-old team from July 18, when Brazilian clubs open their doors to register new players.