Brazil’s next top centre-back? Teenager Vitor Reis wanted by Arsenal, Chelsea & Brighton

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Expert analysis 

©TM/IMAGO

The January transfer window is open and rumours are circulating left, right and centre. Unearthing the stars of the future is a priority matter for all the biggest clubs in the world, as they look to steal a march on their rivals, and this winter window could represent an opportunity for some clubs to move fast to get their hands on the next generation of top talents. Plenty of exciting teenagers are putting themself on the radar.

The South American market continues to attract scouts from clubs across the globe on a regular basis, looking to find the next Vinicius Junior or Lionel Messi. Brazil is arguably the biggest hotbed of talent in world football right now, and Vitor Reis is one of the latest starlets to be attracting serious interest from top European clubs. This Thursday, Fabrizio Romano reported that Premier League champions Manchester City have agreed on personal terms with Brazilian teenager Reis, with negotiations underway to close the deal with Palmeiras for around €40m. But who is the young centre-back? We’ve provided the lowdown on Reis with incredible insight from our Brazilian experts at Transfermarkt. 

Who is Vitor Reis? 

Reis is an 18-year-old defender currently playing for Brazilian Serie A side Palmeiras. The club has  produced some of the best homegrown talent recently, with Endrick officially joining Real Madrid last summer, Luis Guilherme moving to West Ham, and Chelsea having secured the signature of protege Estêvão for next summer. Reis is naturally a centre-back but he can also be deployed at right-back, and he’s already made 22 first-team appearances for Palmeiras in Série A last season. 

The São Paulo native is contracted at Pameiras until 2028, after penning a new contract last summer, but he’s widely viewed as one of the best young defensive talents in South America – as explained by Transfermarkt’s Brazil’s Area Manager Marcos Watts. “Vitor Reis is the ‘newest’ defensive talent coming from the Brazilian Série A. He seems to be following the footsteps of Murillo and [Lucas] Beraldo after playing for one of the “big four” clubs from the São Paulo state and quickly emerging as a top talent – a move to a top European side seems like a matter of time now. However, Reis is a different kind of player when compared to Murillo or Beraldo. He’s taller than both and right footed – but that doesn’t make him a “more common” player given his capabilities on and off the ball.”

Watts added: “Despite not being a very physical player, he’s very good in the air and has shown great awareness for an 18 year old. He’s also very good on the ball, both for setting up the play from the back and for attacking – which has already resulted in two goals so early in his career. Another good mental attribute he’s already shown is his decision making – he knows where the spaces are and knows when to move forward or when to make a tackle, something that is quite remarkable for a player so young.”

Rumour

Vitor Reis

Centre-Back

Palmeiras		50 %		Man City
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A				Premier League

Which clubs want to sign Vitor Reis? 

For some time, Reis has been tracked by some of the biggest clubs in Europe, and his departure from Palmeiras seems inevitable, either this January or next summer. The Brazilian side protected their asset by extending his contract in August, but Palmeiras’ asking price is unlikely to deter potential suitors. It had been understood that Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool had dispatched scouts to watch Reis in recent months, while Chelsea were also thought to be admirers. However, recent reports have suggested that Man City have moved ahead in the race, and are trying to get the deal over the line as soon as possible this January.

TBR Football reported earlier this week that Brighton had opened talks with Palmeiras about a deal, but Man City have now moved to firm favourites for his signature. Fabrizio Romano has claimed the deal is advancing fast, and with personal terms agreed, it looks as though the Etihad is most likely to be Reis’ next destination. Real Madrid have enjoyed tremendous success recruiting from Brazil across recent seasons, and they were also reportedly admirers of Reis, with centre-back an area of priority for the Champions League holders.