West Ham target Kaio Jorge is now in the middle of a major controversy in Brazil. The Cruzeiro striker faces criticism for an alleged unsportsmanlike act during his team’s 1-1 draw with rivals Atlético Mineiro at the Arena MRV.
In recent weeks, West Ham have reportedly been in contact regarding a transfer.
Globo Esporte report that Atlético executive Paulo Bracks said the club will report the player to the Brazilian Sports Court of Justice (STJD). He accused Kaio Jorge of squeezing the injured hand of defender Ivan Román during the match.
Bracks called the act “cowardly” and questioned the striker’s behaviour. “We’re not talking about the elbow he gave Ivan Román or the gesture that led to his red card. But about a cowardly and disloyal attitude toward a fellow professional. A player who wants a national team spot can’t act like that,” he said.
Atlético will ask the court to decide if it was aggression or misconduct. Román, who has a fracture in his right hand, received a yellow card for complaining to the referee.
After the game, he downplayed the situation. “There’s a video that shows he squeezed my hand. But these are things that happen in football. If he thought that was a good thing to do, it’s his choice. I don’t care.”
The defender continues to play through the injury and plans to undergo surgery only after the season ends.
The case has put unwanted attention on Kaio Jorge, who has been enjoying his best year with Cruzeiro. Linked with West Ham and Newcastle, he leads both the Brasileirão and Copa do Brasil scoring charts.
It now remains to be seen whether this episode affects his reputation before the January transfer window.
