Rafael Belinho: Man United enter transfer race for Brazilian wonderkid | OneFootball

Manchester United have entered a red-hot transfer battle with Europe’s elite for Rafael Belinho – but INEOS will have to move quickly to secure the 17-year-old wonderkid’s signature, according to a new report.

The Next Samba Superstar

Rafael Gomes Cirinho, known as Belinho, is considered one of football’s outstanding young talents with industry sources placing him at the very top of his age group.

The left-footed attacker was born in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, coming through Vasca de Gamo’s esteemed academy, before moving to Croatia to join Dynamo Zagreb. He holds dual citizenship, possessing a Brazilian and Croatian passport, and has played for both countries at youth level.

Belinho is capable of playing on the right wing or as an attacking midfielder, combining the samba skill of his South American heritage with the efficiency of a player developed in Europe.

His frame is diminutive, standing just 5’5, which presents an issue for how he would adapt to the rigours of English football. But he possesses excellent acceleration and agility due to his low centre of gravity, making him able to effectively shield the ball from much larger opponents.

The youngster has just completed a transfer to NK Kustošija as this allows him to play in their under-19 side, who also play in the top tier of Croatian football. Staying with Zagreb would have required a long-term professional contract, tying him to the club for at least three years.

Europe’s Elite Join The Queue

The Mirror reports Belinho is focused on continuing his development before angling for a “move to one of Europe’s elite clubs once he’s turned 18”.

He will not be short on offers either, with United joined by Premier League rival Arsenal and Spanish heavyweights, Real Madrid and Barcelona, in the hunt for the next Brazilian superstar.

At present, the 17-year-old would not be able to join either Arsenal nor United owing to Brexit regulations on work permits for under-18s, but both clubs would still be able to strike a pre-agreement for him to then complete the switch on his next birthday.

However,  it is Borussia Dortmund who are understood to be leading the race after the Bundesliga club held “face-to-face discussions” in the last few days over a deal.

Barcelona sporting director Deco also met with Belinho’s representative, Andy Bara, and his dad last September to establish dialogue, with the agent retaining an excellent reputation at the Camp Nou.

INEOS have prioritised the pursuit of the best young talent in world football since taking control at Old Trafford, as the captures of Sekou Kone (Mali) and Diego Leon (Paraguay) demonstrated.

They will have to accelerate plans to repeat this trick by securing Belinho’s signature, however, as their rivals on the continent have a head start.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

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