Arema FC management confirmed that Marcos Santos will remain the club's coach for the 2026/2027 Super League season after reaching an agreement on a contract extension.
Arema FC General Manager Yusrinal Fitriandi said in Malang City, East Java, on Wednesday that the decision to retain Marcos Santos as coach was based on an evaluation of the team's performance throughout the 2025/2026 season.
"We decided to retain Coach Marcos Santos as head coach, because we have already built a foundation that needs to be continued to ensure the team's development process runs smoothly," said Inal, Yusrinal's nickname.
The Brazilian coach is also considered to have created a positive atmosphere in the team's dressing room, and is able to maximize the potential of each player so that they perform well on the field.
During Marcos Santos' tenure, management did not encounter any internal issues that impacted the team's overall condition.
Marcos has also been actively involved in the process of compiling next season's squad by helping management monitor and recommend a number of players who suit the team's needs.
"Over the past few seasons, we've had quite a few coaching changes. Coach Marcos was able to finish the season and show that his program could work, so we felt he deserved the opportunity to continue his work," he said.
In addition to retaining Marcos Santos as coach, management has taken steps to extend the contract of assistant coach Andre Caldas.
Andre Caldas is confirmed to remain with Marcos in preparing the team for next season's competition.
With the certainty of Marcos Santos and Andre Caldas's continued stay, the club nicknamed Singo Edan continues to focus on finalizing the formation of the squad and preparing the team for the 2026/2027 Super League.
Management hopes that the continuity of the coaching team can be the capital to bring Arema FC to achieve better results and compete at the top of the standings next season.
