‘Very unfortunate’: 24-year-old says he wanted £3m Celtic move

Follow us on Google Discover

Scottish Premiership champions Celtic made a bid for Brazilian centre-back Fabricio Bruno in the January transfer window but Neil Lennon never got his man.

Fabricio Bruno has admitted that he missed out on a £3 million move to Celtic during the January transfer window after Cruzeiro ‘refused to negotiate’ with the Scottish Premiership champions, while speaking to the Daily Record.

The Hoops appear to be high on quality but lacking in quantity when it comes to centre-halves.

Kristoffer Ajer and Christopher Jullien have forged a superb partnership at the heart of Neil Lennon’s side but, with Jozo Simunovic struggling for fitness and form, the Scottish Premiership leaders could have done with one more option at the back.

Unfortunately, an ambitious deal for Brazilian powerhouse Bruno failed to materialize.

Cruzeiro president Marcio Rodrigues confirmed that Celtic’s £3 million bid fell short of his valuation, while speaking to GloboEsporte, before a bitter legal row between player and club made a move to Glasgow all-but impossible.

The 24-year-old eventually terminated his contract with Cruzeiro due to unpaid wages although, with the case rumbling on throughout January, the door slammed shut in Celtic’s face.

“It all started when Celtic came to talk to me and I went to Cruzeiro together with my representative,” Bruno says.

“But Cruzeiro refused to negotiate with them. It was a difficult situation and I had to look at the personal side of it. Some fans called me ungrateful and mercenary, but it was the other way around.

“I tried to get the club some money with this transfer. I tried to tell to them to negotiate with Celtic, but they would not. I had no choice, but to take Cruzeiro to court.

“Celtic came back for me, but they had to pull out because I wouldn’t get a decision from the court until February 6 and that was too late for them. It was very unfortunate for them.”

Bruno eventually departed Cruzeiro to join Brazilian rivals RB Bragantino, the latest club to join Leipzig, Salzburg and New York under the Red Bull umbrella.