Persija Releases Gustavo Almeida, Who Will Be the New Key Forward for Macan Kemayoran's Front Line?

Persija Jakarta have officially parted ways with Gustavo Almeida ahead of the 2026/2027 season. This decision concludes the Brazilian striker's spell with Macan Kemayoran, after almost three seasons serving as one of the core figures in the club's forward line.

According to the official club release, Gustavo's departure was not a unilateral decision, but was reached through mutual agreement.

Persija Jakarta manager Ardhi Tjahjoko acknowledged that the call to release Gustavo Almeida was not made lightly. The club recognises the quality of the 30-year-old player, most notably his track record as one of the team's most reliable goal scorers.

"We extend our gratitude for Gustavo's dedication during his time wearing the Persija jersey, and we wish him all the best in maintaining his top form at his new club. We will also continue developing a sharper, improved forward line to prepare for the upcoming season," stated Ardhi.

Gustavo Almeida Leaves Persija With 31 Career Goals For The Club

Throughout his tenure at Persija Jakarta, Gustavo posted highly impressive contributions. The former Arema FC player recorded a total of 31 goals from 55 appearances in the Super League.

This statistic ranks him among the most impactful foreign strikers to feature for Macan Kemayoran's attacking line in recent seasons.

That said, Gustavo's time at Persija was also disrupted by recurring injury problems.

Gustavo joined during the second half of his debut 2023/2024 Liga 1 campaign, scoring two goals across seven matches.

A long-term injury then derailed his progress. He was unable to feature consistently, only making a very limited number of match appearances during this period.

Despite this setback, the Brazilian striker bounced back and demonstrated his clinical finishing ability the following season.

2024/2025 Season Marked Gustavo's Peak Form

Gustavo delivered his best performances for Persija during the 2024/2025 season. He established himself as one of the league's most prolific forwards, notching 18 goals and 1 assist from 28 matches. This goalscoring form saw him become Macan Kemayoran's undisputed primary attacking outlet.

Gustavo continued to showcase his quality during the 2025/2026 campaign, scoring 11 goals and registering another assist from 20 appearances.

Once again however, injury issues prevented him from performing at full capacity for the full duration of the season.

Regardless, his final record of 31 goals from 55 appearances underlines just how significant Gustavo's contribution was during his time at Persija.

Persija Prepares Rebuilt Forward Line

Following Gustavo's departure, Persija will proceed with pre-season preparations without one of their core goal scoring threats.

At present, Macan Kemayoran still have three registered forward players: Alexander Jeremejeff, Eksel Runtukahu, and Agi Firmansyah.

Gustavo's exit has raised new questions regarding the club's tactical and transfer strategy heading into the 2026/2027 season.

Ardhi confirmed that Persija will continue working to construct a sharper attacking unit ahead of the new campaign.