Who is Bremer? Why Liverpool and Man Utd are tracking the bruising Brazilian

Interested parties should not have been worried about Bremer's contract extension in February. The Brazilian put pen to paper on a new Torino deal earlier this year, but that was merely a formality to protect his value. Torino are aware he is expected to leave in the summer, however rather than negotiate with a year left to run on his deal, Il Toro are in a stronger position to command a higher fee for the 25-year-old. 

With club captain Andrea Belotti set to depart on a free at the end of the season, Torino are keen to not lose two star players for little this summer and, now that Bremer has an additional 12 months to run on his current deal, you can be sure the Turin side will demand more for the star centre-back. 

Defending Serie A champions Inter are supposedly leading the race for the Brazilian, but his consistency at the heart of the Torino defence has seen interest in his services in England rise significantly. Premier League title contenders Liverpool are viewed as potential suitors for Bremer, while Chelsea and Manchester United have also been monitoring his form for Torino, as have north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, and for good reason too.

Following yet another inclusion in the Serie A team of the week, Bremer is far and away the best rated centre-back in Italy's top tier this term having earned a WhoScored rating of 7.27. He's managed to put in man of the match performances against Scudetto chasing pair AC Milan and Inter, and this has further boosted his credentials as one of the best centre-backs in Italy. 

And it is understandable to know just why Premier League sides are keen on the Brazilian. Where there is a higher need for teams to land agressive centre-backs, Bremer is just that. His superb reading of the game is a huge reason behind interest from top teams across Europe with Bremer prepared to break the defensive line to snuff out the danger. 

He has made at least 22 more interceptions (100) than any other player in Europe's top five leagues this season and this positional awareness has propelled him into the limelight on the continent. Where there is a greater onus on cutting out the threat rather than relying on last ditch tackles, Bremer is excelling in this department and this has helped his stock soar higher than few could have foreseen when he joined from Atletico Mineiro in 2018. 

That's not to say Bremer is one to shirk the physical side to his game, chipping in with an average of 1.4 tackles per 90. In addition, having been dribbled past just nine times in 29 league outings, he only tackles when he needs too, and does so to good effect. Some may see him as a colossus in the air having won the third most aerial duels (118) in Serie A, though a 46.6% aerial success rate means there is room for improvement in this area to his game. Having contested 253 of Torino's 1428 total aerial duels (17.7%) this season, he is bound to lose more headed battles, particular with that success rate dropping from a more respectable 58.5% the previous season.

Evidently, Bremer is better suited at alleviating pressure when the ball comes towards the Torino goal on the ground. Not only does he rank top for interceptions in Europe's top five leagues, but a total of 114 clearances is second in Serie A in 2021/22. The knack for being in the right place at the right time has not only boosted his reputation, but also means Torino have one of the tightest defences in Italy's top tier. 

30 goals conceded is the fifth lowest in the division, with only the current top four shipping fewer this season. Ivan Juric's use of a three-man defence has contributed to that nigh-on watertight backline, with Bremer the central man in the backline and in a position of responsibility, he has thrived, which has seen the number of interested parties increase with each passing week. 

His defensive approach means he'd suit the English style of play, even he needs to work on his aerial success, but he is a defender that has deservedly cropped up on radars of those chasing a Champions League finish. Inter will perhaps fancy their chances of convincing the bruising Brazilian to remain in Italy, yet Bremer won't have a shortage of potential suitors should he wish to try his luck abroad. He'd certainly be a solid investment in a side seeking to add a new centre-back to the ranks this summer.