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Sanabria swaps Serie A for Internacional in confirmed Cremonese exit
Paraguayan attacker Arnaldo Antonio Sanabria Ayala completed a transfer from Cremonese to Brazilian side Internacional on 19 August 2026.
Paraguay international Arnaldo Antonio Sanabria Ayala has completed his move from Italian Serie A side Cremonese to Brazilian club Internacional, with the transfer confirmed on 19 August 2026. The 29-year-old attacker, who wore the number 9 jersey at Cremonese, joins the Porto Alegre outfit as a free agent after a season in which he struggled for regular minutes in Italy.
At a glance
- Age: 29 (born 4 March 1996, San Lorenzo, Paraguay)
- Position: Attacker (number 9)
- Deal: Free transfer, 19 August 2026, Cremonese → Internacional
Career context
Sanabria’s route to Internacional has been a winding one across Europe and South America. He began his senior career in Italy, signing with AS Roma from Sassuolo in July 2014 for €2.4M, and spent the 2014/15 season as a reserve behind the strike partnership of Edin Dzeko and Mohamed Salah, earning a Serie A runners-up medal and a Coppa Italia Primavera second-place finish that same campaign.
A loan spell at Sporting Gijon in 2015/16 offered his first taste of regular football, before a return to Italy with Real Betis in 2016. He bounced back to Serie A with Genoa on loan in early 2019, then made that move permanent in September 2020. A January 2021 switch to Torino followed, where he featured mostly as a substitute before departing for Cremonese in August 2025.
His only senior honour to date remains that 2014/15 Serie A runners-up medal, a testament to early promise that has yet to be fully realised at club level despite consistent representation for Paraguay.
How he fits at his new club
Internacional, founded in 1909 and playing at the 50,128-capacity Estádio José Pinheiro Borda, will deploy Sanabria in their attacking line. His positional profile as an attacker, combined with his 180cm frame and 70kg build, suggests a role as a second striker or wide forward rather than a target man. His technique rating of 77 and creation score of 27 indicate an ability to link play and find pockets of space, while his attack attribute of 28 suggests he thrives in advanced positions.
Apps
Goals
Assists
Minutes
Rating
The Brazilian side will likely utilise his experience in the final third, particularly given his record of converting half-chances and holding up play. His duels rating of 69 and 146 duels won across his career suggest he can hold off defenders and maintain possession, crucial for a team looking to control games in the Brasileirão.
Recent numbers
During the 2025 Serie A season, Sanabria made 25 league appearances for Cremonese, starting 10 and coming on as a substitute in 15 others. He played 940 minutes, scoring once and providing one assist, with an average rating of 6.5.
His passing accuracy stood at 82%, completing 175 of 211 passes, while he created eight key passes. In terms of direct play, he attempted nine dribbles, succeeding in seven, and won 53 of 121 duels. He drew 15 fouls and committed 15 himself.
Most recently, Sanabria featured in Paraguay’s 2026 World Cup campaign, making four appearances across the tournament. He played 62 minutes in the group stage opener against the USA, winning four of 11 duels and completing one dribble past an opponent. His tournament ended in the Round of 16 against France, where he came on as a late substitute.
Key takeaways
| Metric | Serie A 2025 | World Cup 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 25 | 4 |
| Minutes | 940 | 191 |
| Goals | 1 | 1 |
| Assists | 1 | 0 |
| Duels won | 53/121 | 6/25 |
| Pass accuracy | 82% | N/A |
| Dribbles | 7/9 | 1/1 |
- Sanabria arrives at Internacional as a proven Serie A campaigner with 25 league appearances in 2025.
- His technical attributes (technique 77) and duel-winning ability (69 rating) suggest a role as a link-up forward rather than a pure finisher.
- A free transfer represents a low-risk acquisition for Internacional, given his international experience and Serie A exposure.
- His injury history—most recently a knee injury in March 2025—remains a concern, though he was available for the World Cup.
- At 29, this move represents a late-career opportunity to establish himself in a more prominent role, away from the substitute-heavy environment at Cremonese.