Rio de Janeiro, June 4 (IANS) Ukranian football club Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Fred has been added to Brazil’s Copa America squad to replace injured German side VFL Wolfsburg’s midfielder Luiz Gustavo, the Brazilian football confederation (CBF) has said.
Fred, 22, was already training with the Brazil squad in Teresopolis, near Rio de Janeiro, after being called up by coach Dunga for friendlies against Mexico and Honduras next week, reports Xinhua.
Gustavo will undergo knee surgery next week after suffering a meniscus injury with the Bundesliga club.
Brazil have been drawn in the same group as Colombia, Peru and Venezuela for the Copa America, to be held in Chile from June 11 to July 4.
Dunga’s team will prepare for the tournament by playing Mexico in Sao Paulo on June 7 and Honduras in Porto Alegre three days later.
They will begin their Copa America campaign against Peru in Temuco on June 14.