Dec 12, 2007

Bayern Bag Brazilian Back Breno

Eighteen year-old Sao Paulo defender Breno is reportedly in Germany wrapping up details on a four-year contract with Bundesliga table-toppers Bayern Munich. So says Germany's kicker.de Web site. Breno Vinicius Rodrigues Borges (the lad's real name) has been tipped as Brazil's next great back by goal.com among others (Soccer Source listed him as "a player you'll be hearing about soon" in our Copa Sudamericana primer). World Soccer has him as one of the top 50 teens in the world, but that list didn't include Jozy Altidore which means it's basically worthless. Breno had previously been linked to Real Madrid, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Juventus, among others, but last month Bayern swooped in as the favorites. Thanks to Breno, the Sao Paulo defense was nearly impenetrable this season, at one point stringing together 998 minutes without being scored on. He can play both center and right back.

Apparently Breno isn't the only Bundesliga-bound Brazilian. Zé Roberto, not to be confused with the guy who previously had stints at Leverkusen and Bayern, is due to sign with Schalke 04 from Botofogo (I think that's his current club). The 27 year-old was reportedly at Gelsenkirchen for the club's champions league game with Rosenborg yesterday. So says transfermarkt.de via dpa (some kind of German wire service).

2 comments:

  1. Ze Roberto is still playing for Bayern and is over thirty. Schalke are signing a player who also happens to be called Ze Roberto.:-)

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  2. oh snap! Thanks for the correction. That's the thing with these Brazilian names; there are only so many of them to go around!

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