Schalke 04 in talks with Brighton over defender | OneFootball

Following their promotion to the Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 are looking to strengthen their defence.

According to German outlet Fussballdaten, the Royal Blues are interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Igor Julio on loan with an option to buy.

Talks between the clubs are ongoing, although the two sides have yet to reach an agreement. The main sticking points are understood to be the loan fee and the value of the purchase option.

Brighton paid a reported €16.5 million to sign the 28-year-old from Fiorentina in 2023.

The Brazilian centre-back was loaned to West Ham United in the summer of 2025, but the move was cut short in January after he struggled for playing time.