By OkayGoal
Rodrigo Muniz has admitted he came very close to leaving Fulham and going home to Brazil, and the only reason he stayed was a conversation with his wife.
The striker’s words came out after the 1-0 League Cup defeat to Crystal Palace, a night when he played the full 90 minutes, missed a chance he should have taken and walked off looking flat.
With his wife now pregnant and her family based in Belo Horizonte, the question of where his future lies is not going away. Nothing is in motion yet, but this is how transfer stories start.
What did Muniz actually say?
ESPN Brazil journalist Mário Marra spoke to Muniz after the Palace game, and he described a player who was struggling until he heard a familiar accent.
Marra said: “It was a very important day for Muniz. He came on, had an opportunity, didn’t strike the ball well and didn’t score. He was looking down. You could see that. But when he saw Brazilians, he lit up, he wanted to talk.”
He also recalled an older supporter going over to the striker, giving him a hug and telling him to have faith and patience because things would get better.
When Marra brought up the interest Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro had shown in him, the answer was a lot more open than anyone at Craven Cottage would like.
Muniz told him: “Yes, I know. I almost went, but my wife said we should stay a little longer to fulfil the dream.”
Why Brazil could come calling again
That is the part Fulham should take notice of. The decision to stay in England was a family one, and the family situation has changed since.
Marra revealed that Muniz’s wife is expecting, and that the couple had talked about how much a support network matters with a baby on the way. Muniz explained they already have help in England, including through the church he goes to. Her family, though, live in Belo Horizonte, the home city of both Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro.
Marra signed off his story with a pointed “here’s a tip!”, which reads like a nudge to both Minas Gerais clubs. That was the journalist’s suggestion, not the player’s. Muniz did not say he wants to leave, and there is no sign that either club has opened talks.
There has also been recent talk of a Flamengo return, although several Brazilian journalists were quick to dismiss those reports.
The numbers behind the frustration
It is easy to see why he looked so low after Palace. Muniz scored 21 goals across two productive Premier League seasons, then managed just one in 25 appearances in 2025/26.
This season has been a little better in front of goal, with two already, but he has been given only 313 league minutes. That squeeze on his game time was already on the cards in the summer, when Fulham brought in two Real Madrid youngsters and one of them looked ready to take his starting spot.
A striker who has proved he can score at this level, stuck on the bench, with a young family pulling him home: that is the kind of mix that turns into a January or summer saga.
Will Rodrigo Muniz still be at Fulham next season?
My view is that this one is worth watching closely. Last time, the dream of a European career won the argument at home. This time there is a baby coming and a ready-made support network in Belo Horizonte, and two clubs from that city have already shown they want him.
For Fulham, there is no new approach to deal with right now, and there is plenty on their plate already, from the clubs circling their captain to league trips like Aston Villa to plan for. But a forward on 313 minutes is not someone they can keep on hold forever. If Muniz keeps scoring when he gets a chance, as he has twice already, he may force his way back in. If the minutes stay this short, I would not be surprised to see Brazil come knocking again, and this time his wife may be the one telling him to go.