10 exciting Brazilian talents set for European moves: Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal targets, ‘the next Neymar…’

Year after year, Brazil produces some of the best talents in football and they go on to become key players in the greatest teams.

So many title-winning sides contain Brazilians and for this reason, more frequently, big clubs are looking to recruit straight from the source.

Some big names have moved to top clubs over the years straight from Brazil. The likes of Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Gabriel Martinelli all were recruited from Brazil and have become key players for their teams.

In January, we saw big moves for players such as Vitor Roque (Barcelona), Lucas Beraldo and Gabriel Moscardo (PSG), and leave the South American country.

There are often moves agreed in advance so that when the player turns 18 they’ll move to their new club – see, for example, Endrick’s move to Real Madrid.

So who are the next stars currently playing in Brazil destined to move to one of Europe’s top leagues?

1. Andre (Fluminense) – Defensive-Midfielder, 22 

Andre was one of the most discussed Brazilian talents towards the end of 2023 as he was a key figure in Fluminense’s Copa Libertadores win.

He also got his first few caps for Brazil under caretaker Brazil manager (and Fluminense boss) Fernando Diniz.

Despite playing in losses to Argentina and Colombia, he was the most impressive player for Brazil in these games.

Andre played with such composure on the ball, defended huge spaces to prevent counter attacks and nullified the opponent’s attacks.

The defensive midfielder plays in a fluid system at Fluminense under Diniz (also known as Dinizsmo’s relationism style).

It’s this system where he’s constantly at the heartbeat of all build-up play. Interchanging positions, playing short passes and driving up the pitch to progress play. He’s a combative midfielder with good technical ability.

Andre had been linked with so many European teams in January with Liverpool, Arsenal, Fulham, Manchester United, Barcelona just some of those mentioned.

Due to so many clubs struggling with FFP, however, not many clubs were active in the January transfer window and he ultimately stayed at Fluminense.

He’s clearly good enough to move to a top five league, though, and looks set to join a top European club in the summer.

2. Estevao (Palmeiras) – Right-Winger, 16 

Estevao is one of the best young talents in the world and has been described as ‘the next Neymar’.

The whole world would stay up to watch a young Neymar Jr. shining at Santos when he broke through as a teenager, so Estevao’s comparison to him is high praise indeed.

Estevao, like Neymar, is an entertainer, with the ability to embarrass defenders all over Brazil and South America.

The 16-year-old has generated so much hype already even though he’s not played at senior level much, but this season he will do and there will be a war over who will sign him.

All the biggest teams have been linked with Estevao: Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund – you name it.

Rightly so, too.

Estevao has that superstar factor: a silky skilful dribbler who loves to take on players; a right winger with a deadly left foot that will cut inside to shoot from distance to great effect.

For such a slight build, he has a seriously powerful shot from outside the box.

He’s the type of player you can imagine winning a top team the big games: Champions League finals, league title deciders…

3. Luis Guilherme (Palmeiras) – Attacking-Midfielder, 18

Luis Guilherme is another one of Palmeiras’ elite talents coming through.

He plays mainly behind the striker or off the right wing. Guilherme is a high-IQ player with so much composure on the ball. He’s technically excellent too and loves to float around the pockets.

Guilherme’s profile makes him an interesting prospect for the future as he’s shown great dribbling, finishing and intelligence further up the pitch and also physicality in duels.

This could see him develop as a CM more than a RW/ST, but Guilherme is particularly eye-catching as a second striker when making runs of a centre-forward, creating chances for the attackers ahead of him.

Guilherme’s next destination remains to be seen, but he’d suit a team who plays a possession based, fluid system – the type of system who love versatile players who can do it all.

It’s there where we’ll see Luis Guilherme develop the many aspects of his game and become a more all-round player.

4. Pablo Maia (São Paulo) – Defensive-Midfielder, 22

Pablo Maia was one of the more consistent defensive midfielders in Brazil last season.

He’s the type to cover lots of ground and be everywhere on the pitch.

Front-footed defending and aggression in duels and tackles make him a really good ball-winner for the midfield. He also has a good passing range and can strike the ball well when shooting from distance.

Maia was of interest to a lot of Premier League teams in January including Arsenal, Brighton, West Ham United and Fulham.

He won’t be at Sao Paulo much longer if his top performances continue.

READ MORE: What experts are saying about Man Utd target Dan Ashworth – ‘He was a game-changer’

5. John Kennedy (Fluminense) – Striker, 21

John Kennedy was one of the stars of Fluminense’s Copa Libertadores-winning team and, in fact, he scored the winning goal in the final last year.

The 21-year-old striker has a great mentality and has so much confidence in his own abilities, which is clear when he plays.

Kennedy has a real hunger to take on players, to score goals, to shoot, to press. He hunts down opponents by pressing with real intensity.

Kennedy can play across the front line or behind the striker but is best as a number nine or left-winger.

In these positions he loves to run in behind, shoot from distance and link up with team-mates. He’s not the tallest, but has a very strong physical presence with aerial prowess.

Kennedy’s finishing ability is his best trait. He’s an instinctive finisher so he doesn’t need much time to get shots away.

6. Robert Renan (Internacional, On Loan From Zenit St. Petersburg) – Centre-Back, 20

Robert Renan is part of a golden generation at Corinthians which brought players such as Nottingham Forest’s Murillo, PSG’s new signing Gabriel Moscardo, Zenit’s Pedrinho, and other talents like Guilherme Biro, Wesley, Breno Bidon.

Renan, like Pedrinho, ended up at Zenit St. Petersburg who invest in the Brazilian market a lot.

But unfortunately, when he went, he had mixed performances and wasn’t a regular for them. He is now on loan back in Brazil and is a key player for Internacional.

Renan’s style as a ball-playing midfielder is one which didn’t suit Zenit but will suit many other possession-based teams in Europe.

On the ball he’s so agile that you almost forget how tall he is. It seems certain that will be on the move to a top team after a strong season on loan.

7. Bento (Athletico Paranaense) – Goalkeeper, 24

Bento is a ready-made keeper for a top European club but is yet to move to one.

He is an all-rounder keeper, standing at 6ft3 with good box presence.

He’s effective on penalties, has quality reactions to make good reflex saves and also has quick speed to get up quickly and make double and triple saves.

In addition to all this, Bento has good ball distribution able to pick out players accurately with long passes. He brings leadership from in goal.

Bento even got in the Brazil squad a few times as the back-up to Alisson and Ederson.

He and Lucas Perri will be the two keepers battling it out for Brazil’s number one spot in the future.

8. Matheus Nascimento (Botafogo) – Striker, 19

Matheus Nascimento is one player we’re surprised hasn’t moved yet because he has shown so much promise, but wasn’t given lots of game time last season.

Many clubs have been linked with the striker, the most concrete interest coming from Nottingham Forest.

Nascimento is an intelligent, skilful striker with an excellent awareness of space around him.

He loves to drop deep and flick the ball onto advanced runners. As a striker he can be the facilitator or the goal-scorer.

Nascimento is unselfish, runs the channels, presses from the front, links other players.

His long legs give him a good top speed to be a threat running in behind or on counter attacks into space and he has a calmness in front of goal.

He could be developed into a serious striker.

9. Rayan Vitor (Vasco da Gama) – Striker, 17

Vasco da Gama’s attacking star Rayan Vitor is ready to explode on the senior stage and he’s already started well. He’s a versatile attacker capable of playing across the front three.

At youth level he often played on the right and would cut inside on his deadly left foot, but his best position is as a striker.

A forward packed with power and skill, Rayan loves to take on players.

His back to goal play is good but needs work, but that’s what he’ll develop over the next few years of playing centrally more often.

Rayan’s best trait though is his finishing. He strikes the ball with so much power and gets shots off quickly and frequently.

He shows so much composure in front of goal and doesn’t hesitate to get shots off.

As an instinctive finisher, he always is aware of the space around him and where the goal is.

He’s deadly in the box. Simply give him the ball and he’ll find a way to shoot.

10. Victor Hugo (Flamengo) – Centre-Midfielder, 19

An all-action midfielder, Victor Hugo loves to carry the ball on attacking transitions.

He’s able to play in a variety of attacking positions but also standing at 6ft also offers good duel and ball winning capabilities.

Victor Hugo’s strengths definitely lie more in the attacking side of the game where he’ll take players on, weave in and out of challenges, play final passes and arrive in the box to finish cutbacks.

As an eight, he has the profile to be effective in all phases of play.

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