Tchoca earns Diniz’s attention as return could lift competition in Corinthians defence | OneFootball

According to Globo.com, João Pedro Tchoca has been given extra focus by Fernando Diniz during Corinthians’ mid-season work at CT Joaquim Grava.

The 22-year-old centre-back is nearing the end of his recovery from surgery to repair an inguinal hernia. He could be named in the squad to face Remo on Thursday at 19:30 Brasília time at Neo Química Arena in the Campeonato Brasileiro.

On the grass, Diniz has spoken regularly with Tchoca, focusing on positioning, build-up and confidence.

His return is expected to raise competition for places, particularly when Gustavo Henrique or Gabriel Paulista are unavailable.

Promoted to the first team in 2024, Tchoca is still trying to establish himself. He was set for a move to Torino earlier this year but failed his medical and returned, with Corinthians not disclosing the reason at the time.

During the break, Diniz has emphasised tweaks to defensive movement and the quality of playing out from the back. In that plan, Tchoca is seen as an option to sustain build-up from defence.

He did not feature in the friendly against Cascavel in Paraná, staying in São Paulo to step up his recovery. He has one goal from five appearances for Corinthians this season.

Source: Globo.com