Defensive boost: Vasco open talks to sign Jair Cunha | OneFootball

One of the biggest concerns for Vasco’s football department in building the squad for the second half of the season is strengthening the center-back position. Given this lack of depth in the squad, some talks have been opened behind the scenes in the transfer market. The name that has gained the most traction internally is Jair Cunha, who currently plays for Nottingham Forest in England.

According to reporting by the Coluna 1927 profile, the defender has little space in the English team, which would make a release easier. The talks were centered around a loan deal with a purchase option set in the contract. However, contacts were halted after the court injunction that removed president Pedrinho from command of the SAF.

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Defense becomes the Vasco board’s top priority

The search for a center-back has become urgent at the Gigante da Colina due to the need to provide solid options for the defensive sector. The political split haunting the club’s administrative decisions ended up stalling other deals, such as the signing of defender Arthur Chaves, leading the market analysis to focus efforts on the former Santos player.

While the board led by executive Admar Lopes tries to find a legal opening to resume financial talks for the player, the professional squad continues preseason-style training at CT Moacyr Barbosa under the guidance of Bruno Lazaroni. The plan is to strengthen the group as a matter of urgency to begin a turnaround and climb out of 17th place in the Brazilian Championship.

Who is Jair Cunha?

The 21-year-old defender is known for his imposing height of 1.98m, standing out for his physical strength and great ease in aerial play. Developed in the youth ranks of Santos, the young player had a spell at Botafogo before being transferred to European football to wear the Nottingham Forest shirt.

Unable to establish himself as an undisputed starter in the English Premier League, he came to be seen as an excellent market opportunity and became Vasco’s main target to address its defensive shortage for the 2026 season.

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