6 days ago
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Expert insight from Brazil
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The conveyor belt of talent being produced in Brazil continues to deliver. More and more European clubs are going shopping at the South American nation at an early age, looking to get their hands on the next Brazilian wonderkid. This summer, Estêvão made his long-awaited move to Chelsea and has already shown glimpses that he is going to be a future superstar. We have also seen other young talents such as Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Gabriel Martinelli trade South America for Europe at a young age and prosper. One of the latest talents emerging is Vasco da Gama winger Rayan.
The 19-year-old was recently given a +€7 million upgrade in the latest Brazilian market value update, which took his value to €25m and made him the second most valuable player in the league, only behind Palmeiras' Vitor Roque (€35m). Last season, he scored 14 goals in 34 games in the Brazilian Serie A - only Kaio Jorge (23 goals), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (18 goals) and Roque (16 goals) scored more. It's made European clubs take note, and recent reports suggest Real Madrid, Tottenham and Crystal Palace are among the sides showing serious interest. With expert insight from Brazil, we bring you more on Rayan.
What type of player is Rayan?
Thiago Rabelo is an extremely well-respected Brazilian journalist and one of Transfermarkt's Content Managers in Brazil. He has seen and interviewed many of Brazil's top talents down the years and tells us more about what Rayan can bring to the party: "Rayan is a very strong and fast player. He is the great revelation of Brazilian football in 2025. He is Vasco's main main and has developed a lot this year under Fernando Diniz. In Brazil, there are many comparisons between him and 'Adriano Imperador', but I don't see that many similarities. Adriano was a centre-forward, while Rayan can play like that as well, but he has been playing better as a right-winger. Rayan still has a lot of room to grow as a player."
It would also appear that Rayan is a little different to the usual talent from Brazil, as Rabelo explains: "He has a different style from what the country usually produces, which is players with a lot of technique and skill. The young player's game is more about physical strength and speed. He is not yet fully developed physically, hence the comparisons with Adriano. But if he manages to evolve as a centre-forward, he could become a Brazilian national team player and consequently a world-class player."
Is Rayan ready to leave Brazil and where could he go?
It is often underestimated how big a change it is for a player to move not only countries but continents, especially at such a young age. "Rayan is not yet ready to play for a big European club," reveals Rabelo. "He still has a lot to develop physically and technically. But he is certainly someone who will soon arrive at a big European club. He is a very strong and very fast player. He has all the qualities that the European market demands. It's only a matter of time before he shines abroad." Just this week, ESPN reported that Crystal Palace were the latest club interested in signing Rayan, suggesting the Eagles has already made initial exploratory contact with the player and were now evaluating whether to submit an official offer.
Recent reports also indicate serious interest from Real Madrid, Spurs and many other top European sides. "Vasco has one of the best academies in Brazilian football," says Rabelo. "But due to a serious financial and political crisis, they were selling players very young, such as Philippe Coutinho, Andrey Santos, Paulinho, and Douglas Luiz. The club still has many problems, but the situation has improved, and the need for sales is less. A deal involving Rayan will likely require a minimum investment of €30m. But if he maintains this pace of development - the figures will soon increase. Rayan is a jewel of Brazilian football."
