West Ham United’s hopes of signing 28-year-old Brazilian international Fabricio Bruno are over after he blocked his move to the London Stadium.
According to a report by Brazilian outlet UOL, Fabricio Bruno has been the subject of interest from West Ham United. The Hammers are keen on signing a centre-back in the summer transfer window, with the 28-year-old emerging as a target. However, the Flamengo defender has defied his agent’s wishes by blocking a move to the London Stadium.
Fabricio Bruno and an intriguing career so far
Fabricio Bruno has chosen not to move to Europe thus far in his professional career. A native of Ibirite, he spent his formative years in his homeland before graduating from the youth division at Cruzeiro. However, the experienced defender had to bide his time before finding a stable footing at the club level.
Bruno’s move to Flamengo in January 2022 has transformed his career, helping him establish himself as one of the best defenders in the country. The 28-year-old has also broken into the Brazilian national team due to his exploits for Flamengo. Meanwhile, he has been busy at the back in the 2024 season, already amassing over 2,000 minutes of game time across 23 outings in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Fabricio Bruno’s progress at Flamengo has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe. West Ham United have been trying to bring the Brazilian international to the London Stadium in the summer transfer window.
West Ham United’s interest
West Ham United’s interest in Fabricio Bruno is understandable. The Hammers are scouring the market for a centre-back heading into the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding the future of Nayef Aguerd. In addition, Angelo Ogbonna is well into his thirties and in the twilight of his career.
So, it behoves West Ham to invest in a centre-back, with Bruno emerging as a viable target. They were seemingly on the verge of signing the 28-year-old Brazilian international before the situation flipped. The latest update has revealed that Flamengo defender pulled the plug on a move to West Ham United.
The 28-year-old Brazilian international defied his agent’s wishes by blocking the move to the London Stadium. So, West Ham must look elsewhere to bolster the defensive department in the summer transfer window.