Vasco shield Rayan, fend off billion-pound Premier League bid | OneFootball

With significant investment power and backed by one of the wealthiest groups in world football, Newcastle is monitoring young Brazilian football talents for the future. Among the names observed by the English is Rayan, a forward from Vasco, as reported by ESPN in recent weeks.

Despite the interest, the Premier League club is not expected to move forward for now. The main factor cooling a potential bid is the high market value of the player. On December 12th, Rayan renewed his contract with Vasco until 2028, with a release clause set at 80 million euros (about R$ 507 million).

According to ESPN's findings, Newcastle considers the amount high for such a young athlete who, initially, would not join the club to take on an immediate leading role. The "Magpies" management believes that sums of this magnitude should be directed towards signings with more immediate impact.

+ Vasco rejects R$ 200 million and awaits a proposal from another European giant

Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

Market remains heated

Although Newcastle has adopted caution, European interest in Rayan remains strong. Recently, Crystal Palace, also from England, initiated contacts with Vasco and is considering the possibility of making an official offer for the forward.

Besides the London club, Rayan has already been on the radar of other teams from the continent, such as Porto and Barcelona. The player is represented by Israeli agent Pini Zahavi, an influential figure in European football, especially in the Premier League.

The strategy of the interested parties is to start conversations now, but with the intention of finalizing a potential transfer only in June 2026, during the European summer window.

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Rayan – Vasco vs Fluminense – Copa do Brasil — Photo: André Durão

Highlight in 2025

In the 2025 season, Rayan has scored 22 goals and two assists, considering matches for Vasco and the Brazilian U-20 national team. This Sunday (21), the forward will face another decisive chapter as he tries to lead Cruz-Maltino to the Copa do Brasil title, in the final against Corinthians, at Maracanã, at 6 PM (Brasília time). In the first leg, in São Paulo, the teams drew 0-0.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.