It was in January when Celtic were heavily linked with a move for Fabricio Bruno. The imposing Brazilian central defender was wanted at Celtic Park to bolster the bhoys back line.

The defender wasn’t being paid by his club Cruzeiro and when Celtic came calling he went to the owners to try and broker a deal. The club wouldn’t speak to Celtic at all and after that the player took the club to court over unpaid wages and a breach of contract.

Bruno won that case, but it came at a price. Any clubs interested in him outside of Brazil wouldn’t touch him until the court case was finished.

Red Bull Bragantino took their opportunity and signed the big man.

Speaking about the whole ordeal, Bruno doesn’t regret the action he took but does admit it cost him his move to Celtic:

“I don’t regret what I did with Cruzeiro. I was a professional and had to think about my family. There was no proposal from them. The only way out was to go to court. Cruzeiro owed me four months in wages and ten months of image rights.” Bruno told RecordSport.

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

“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.

“I won the case, but I just wanted to get on with my life and my career.”

Celtic didn’t bring any other defenders in during the January window; they signed Patryk Klimala and Ismaila Soro who didn’t manage to get meaningful game time before the shutdown came into force.

Bruno might have suffered the same fate.

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