Sao Paulo midfielder Danie Correa Freitas found dead at 24

The tragic news was confirmed on twitter by the club, who wrote: ''The São Paulo Football Club deeply regrets the death of midfielder Daniel Corrêa Freitas. The club sympathizes and pays condolences to the athlete's family.''

Known simply as Daniel, the 24-year-old was a traditional Brazilian number 10 and signed for the club in 2015. 

He had subsequently been loaned to Coritiba, Ponte Preta and Sao Bento before his premature death. 

His passing was confirmed by the Instituto Medico Legal in Curitiba after his body was found in a bush in Sao Jose dos Pinhais. 

The death of the player comes in suspicious circumstances as unconfirmed local reports, published in 'Banda B' suggested he was murdered. 

A report in the publication stated that he had been found with: ''two deep cuts on his neck, his head was nearly beheaded, and his genitals were severed''.

A host of Brazilian fans paid tribute to the player, passing on their condolences to his family.