Cruzeiro reaches deal to sign Brazil defender Dede

Published Apr. 17, 2013 7:01 p.m. ET

foxsports

Cruzeiro says it has reached a deal to sign Brazil defender Dede from fellow Brazilian club Vasco da Gama.

Dede had been linked to a move to Europe with many top clubs reportedly interested in the 24-year-old player, including Chelsea and Inter Milan. Club world champion Corinthians also was trying to sign Dede after Vasco announced it wanted to sell the defender to improve its finances.

Cruzeiro, a two-time national champion, declined to say how much it paid to Vasco. The length of the contract also was not immediately available on Wednesday.

Dede has been regularly called up to the Brazilian national team recently and was included in Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad that will play a home friendly against Chile on April 24 in Belo Horizonte.