Cruzeiro eye Barboza and Brighton's Igor Julio to bolster defence | OneFootball

With the transfer market already in mind, Cruzeiro’s main priority is to strengthen the defense, and the club has two clearly defined targets for the next window: the experienced Alexander Barboza and Brazilian defender Igor Júlio, who plays for Brighton in the Premier League.

The report about the club’s interest in a left-footed center-back was first published by Central da Toca, which revealed that the Minas Gerais club had made inquiries both to Botafogo and to an English team.

According to ESPN Brasil, Cruzeiro’s board has already made contact to understand the terms of a potential deal involving the two defenders. In Barboza’s case, his contract situation stands out: the center-back is in the final months of his deal with Botafogo, which could make a move easier in the next window. An idol of the “Glorioso,” the player has not yet reached an agreement to renew. An early departure would depend on the Rio club granting permission.

In addition, Cruzeiro is not alone in the race. Other Brazilian clubs are monitoring the player, which could increase the competition for his signing.

At the same time, the club has also inquired about Igor Júlio, currently at Brighton. According to ESPN, the defender’s future in England is uncertain and he is not expected to remain at the club in the long term, although for now he is prioritizing staying in European football. The defender has made only five appearances this season, split between West Ham, where he was on loan, and Brighton.

Cruzeiro will still have time to conduct a detailed search in the market for solutions to strengthen its squad, since the next Brazilian football registration window will only open on July 20. Until then, clubs can move forward with negotiations, align terms, and even finalize agreements, but new signings can only be registered and made officially available to play from that date onward.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.