AFC Bournemouth confirm £24.7m signing of Brazilian forward Rayan | OneFootball

AFC Bournemouth have confirmed the signing of Brazilian forward Rayan from Vasco da Gama on a five-and-a-half-year contract. The 19-year-old arrives for £24.7m plus £5.6m in bonuses, with a €100m release clause and no future sale clause.

“I am very happy and very honoured to be here, especially with the sporting project they developed for me.” He told the club's website.

Rayan chose Bournemouth over lucrative offers from Russia, Saudi Arabia and big European clubs. His arrival reinvests funds from the £62.5m sale of Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City earlier this month. He will help cover the loss of the top scorer as Bournemouth seek momentum in the second half of the season.

Tiago Pinto, AFC Bournemouth’s president of football operations, said: “Rayan is a player we have followed closely and who has already shown impressive consistency and maturity for his age.”

He came through Vasco da Gama’s academy after joining aged six, debuting in 2023 in Campeonato Carioca in a 1-1 draw with Audax Rio de Janeiro.

He made 99 appearances, scoring 25 goals and two assists. His final match was a 4-2 win over Marica, in which he scored twice.

He is Bournemouth’s fourth January addition, following Fraser Forster, Christos Mandas and Alex Toth.

Source: Bournemouth Echo