Rayan: who is the 16-year-old Brazilian pearl who is in Barcelona’s sights

The Brazilian youngster has reportedly been on the Catalan club's radar for a while
by
Martín O'Donnell
2023-06-15 19:03:33

Just like they try to sign the biggest stars on Earth, European giants like Barcelona are also constantly tracking young players before they become a household name. According to Sport, the Catalan club has been monitoring Brazilian prospect Rayan for almost two years now.

The 16-year-old (he turns 17 in August) made an impression in the South American U-17 championship this year, and he’s also starting to establish himself in Vasco da Gama’s first team. If they pull this one off, Barca could be securing a generational talent.

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Rayan making an early impression in Brazil

Though he has the size and strength of a number nine, Rayan operates as an explosive winger, something unusual for a player of his height (1.85 m). While his preferred foot is his left, he usually plays on the right win. However, his physical conditions also let him play as striker.

The Brazilian has already made three appearances for Vasco da Gama, making his first start against Internacional on Sunday. Even though his team lost 2-1, Rayan became the club’s youngest scorer this century. Needless to say, if Barca were already keeping an eye on him, now they should track his progress even more.