Luis Pacheco, 17, impresses as Palmeiras weigh pause in hunt for a midfielder | OneFootball

Palmeiras set out to recruit a new midfielder after selling Aníbal Moreno late last year, but 17-year-old Luis Pacheco could change that plan. His rapid rise under Abel Ferreira is gathering pace.

He turns 18 in February. According to Globo.com, despite being eligible for the Copinha, he was promoted to the senior squad for the start of the campaign and has steadily won over his coach.

On Saturday he made his first start in the win over Mirassol at Arena Barueri, earning applause from the stands. With power and poise, he broke up play and launched attacks, looking every inch a veteran.

A week earlier he came on in the second half of the clássico against Santos and drew praise from Abel, who said he was not seeking another player for the role purely for the sake of it. He added that such a move would limit Pacheco’s opportunities.

Pacheco has long been groomed for this step. At nine, a Juventude director spotted him at a school match in Lajeado and invited him to trials in Caxias do Sul, where he was approved.

The 100 kilometres between the cities proved difficult, so Juventude offered housing and support for his parents, who moved. Two years later Palmeiras came calling.

He joined in São Paulo at 12, rose quickly through the ranks and reached Brazil under-17s. At 16 he debuted for Palmeiras under-20s, playing only six matches before a first senior call last year, when he featured briefly against Juventude, then again on the final day against Ceará.

Before his senior bow his contract was renewed in October, extending to September 2028, with a €100 million release clause, about R$ 631 million, for foreign clubs. With Abel’s trust, he now has a real chance to stake a claim in a talent rich squad.

Source: Globo.com