Juventus identify Brazilian defender as possible Bremer replacement | OneFootball

Flamengo defender Leo Ortiz is reportedly emerging as a serious candidate to join Juventus in January following the horrific injury suffered by his compatriot Gleison Bremer.

The Bianconeri lost the services of their most reputable centre-back who sustained an ACL injury that will likely rule him out until the end of the season, leaving Thiago Motta with limited options at the back. The Italo-Brazilian manager will mainly rely on Pierre Kalulu and Federico Gatti in the next few months, while he hasn’t been totally convinced by his club captain Danilo.

Therefore, reinforcement will be needed in January, and several players have been linked with a move to Turin, chief among them Paris Saint-Germain benchwarmer Milan Skriniar.

But according to Tuttosport via JuventusNews24, Ortiz has been climbing the hierarchy, becoming one of the main names on Cristiano Giuntoli’s shortlist.

The Brazilian is a 28-year-old defender who started his career at Internacional and then went on to make a name for himself at Reb Bull Bragantino. Last March, Flamengo splashed 7 million euros to secure his services, and he instantly became a stalwart at the back for the Rio de Janeiro giants.

This season, he has made 41 appearances across all competitions, contributing with three goals and as many assists.

The source also reveals that the player’s contract includes a release clause worth 30 million euros. Nevertheless, the Bianconeri won’t be looking to activate it as they don’t intend to splash such a hefty transfer fee, especially after spending circa 200 million euros on their summer revamp.

The Turin-based newspaper instead expects Juventus to try to reach an agreement with Flamengo on a lower price. The report believes the Brazilian club would be open to negotiating a discount, so it remains to be seen if the Bianconeri will succeed in their mission or resort to other profiles.