Juventus acquired him from AC Milan in 2021 with high hopes, but a serious injury thwarted his progress in Italy. Now, at Cruzeiro in Brazil, Kaio Jorge has found a remarkable new lease on his career.
He`s truly reborn. Do you remember Kaio Jorge? In 2021, he was at the center of a transfer market duel between AC Milan and Juventus, a battle ultimately won by the Bianconeri. Despite the immense expectations that had accompanied him since his early days as a star in Santos`s youth academy, he struggled to make an impact in Italy.
However, less than a year after returning to Brazil, his professional life has undergone a complete transformation. Playing for Cruzeiro, he now leads the goal-scoring charts and has even claimed the starting position from fellow Brazilian forward Gabigol.
Kaio Jorge: Brazil`s Leading Scorer
“You can tell he`s sharp,” commented Max Allegri after giving Kaio Jorge his debut in a derby against Torino. This marked the first of his 11 appearances (mostly brief moments) for Juventus, totaling 113 minutes, until misfortune intervened. On February 23, 2022, Kaio Jorge suffered a severe injury – a ruptured patellar tendon – during a match with the Next Gen team against Pro Patria, which necessitated a lengthy rehabilitation period.
Despite this significant setback, Kaio persevered. He made a memorable return to Juventus fans in the summer of 2024, scoring a hat-trick in an intra-squad friendly. His subsequent loan spell at Frosinone, where he scored 3 goals in 22 appearances, didn`t provide the breakthrough he yearned for. Consequently, last summer, Juventus decided to sell him to Cruzeiro for €7.2 million.
In Belo Horizonte, the city where football legend Ronaldo Fenômeno began his professional journey, Kaio Jorge has truly flourished after a gradual start. He has netted 11 goals in 12 games, including two braces and one hat-trick, placing Cruzeiro tied for first in the league with Flamengo, and solidifying his spot as the team`s primary striker over Gabigol. At just 23 years old, he has ample time to reclaim the years lost due to injury. Several European clubs, notably Bayer Leverkusen, have already started making inquiries about him. Juventus also maintains a keen interest, as they retain a 30% sell-on clause for any future transfer involving the player.
