Europe’s eyes on Bitello, Luis Suárez’s team mate at Grêmio

The history of young Brazilian footballers winning over Europe’s top clubs is an endless love story. In the latest chapter is Bitello, a versatile Brazilian midfielder on the books at Grêmio. He started out in a more central, attacking role, always accompanied by a defensive midfielder to cover his back, however, the team’s poor results in Brazil’s Serie B led him to drop back into one of the double pivot positions - a switch that has transformed Grêmio’s performances. It worked to perfection, kickstarting a three-month unbeaten run which only came to end in a match which Bitello missed through suspension. With the 23-year-old manning the double pivot slot, Grêmio did not lose a single game - an essential factor in helping the team to achieve their long-awaited promotion to Serie A.

He started the current season in a deeper position, but his versatility means he is able to adapt to almost any part of the pitch. Grêmio coach Renato Gaúcho considers Bitello to be a great multipurpose player capable of adapting to more offensive or defensive zones. His great partnership with ex-Barcelona player Luis Suárez led him to establish himself as a right-sided winger, where he has developed in the most recent games of the Gaúcho championship. For now, he is the second top scorer for his team behind Suárez and his great performances on the right flank are reminiscent of former Bayern Munich and Juventus player, Douglas Costa.

Bitello’s versatility and impressive performances have aroused the interest of a number of European clubs, mainly from the Bundesliga. His agents José Lorenzo and Marcelo Karan are convinced that Bitello is ready to make the leap to Europe and that, due to his qualities, Spanish football would suit him like a glove.