Dorival eyes youngster to cover Tchoca, seeks reinforcements | OneFootball

The Corinthians confirmed last Sunday the departure of defender João Pedro Tchoca, who signed with Torino, Italy. Coach Dorival Júnior is already preparing a replacement to fill the gap in the squad but believes that Timão should go to the market.

After the victory over Velo Clube in Rio Claro, for the Campeonato Paulista, Dorival spoke about the loss of Tchoca. The coach recalled the young defender's journey and wished the 22-year-old athlete luck in Europe.

“It's an opportunity in Tchoca's career. It's a new step. When I got here, he was the fifth defender. He was valued and played, responding to the club's youth categories. He's another athlete taking a step in his career, and I hope he's very happy. He deserved it. I hope he does very well and complements his career positively,” said the coach in a press conference at Benitão.

Replacement in the making

While Tchoca says goodbye to Corinthians, Dorival already has the replacement in the making. It is Iago Machado, a defender of just 16 years. He was called by the coach to train with the main team last week, after Timão's participation in the Copinha.

However, for Dorival, Iago's promotion does not eliminate the need for the club to hire a new defender. With Tchoca's departure, only four options remain for the position: Gustavo Henrique, André Ramalho, Cacá, and the newly arrived Gabriel Paulista.

“We are preparing another youngster, but at the same time, we know that with departures, we must have new arrivals. It's necessary. We have a very promising boy, but he requires more preparation so that we don't rush the process. He's young, 16 going on 17, but he has many qualities and promises a lot. We need time for him to develop his skills. We will necessarily have to look for a name in the market,” he stated.

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Meet the gem

Iago Machado is considered a gem of Corinthians' youth categories. The 1.87 m defender has been at the club since he was six years old and is already attracting interest from European clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal. He has a contract with Timão until April 2028 and a release clause valued at 100 million euros (R$ 629 million) for abroad.

Fast, the Son of Terrão stands out for his leadership, good technique, game reading, and goal-scoring instinct. In 2025, he scored nine goals in 38 matches played for the under-17 category.

While the Corinthians board seeks alternatives in the market, Iago tries to convince Dorival in training and lives in the expectation of, in the near future, getting a chance in Campeonato Paulista or Brasileiro games.

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