West Ham United transfer news: Newcastle join race to sign Rayan Vitor as £19m exit news emerges
West Ham United and Newcastle are both in the hunt to sign Vasco de Gama teenager Rayan Vitor this summer with the Brazilian side willing to listen to offers, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
The 16-year-old winger is considered to be one of the young teenage jewels in Brazil and gained even more prominence earlier this year, having won the U17 Sudamericano with the South Americans.
Vitor also became the club’s youngest scorer in the 21st century, making history as he scored in his first-team debut for the club in a 2-1 defeat to Internacional in the Brazilian Serie A and according to the Italian outlet (14 July) Vasco de Gama would be willing to listen to offers of $25million (£19m) plus a percentage on future resale.
The report claims that the club want to close the deal immediately and then leave him for another year in Brazil and bring him to Europe in August 2024, when he will turn 18.
Explore Brazilian market
The Mirror journalist James Nursey claimed on 6 July that Barcelona and Real Madrid are also in the hunt for the talented teenager making a potential deal for West Ham United difficult to complete.
It’s certainly encouraging to see the Hammers explore the Brazilian which has become a talent hotspot for many of Europe’s elite clubs over the past decade and beyond, and West Ham United simply have to join in on the act to ensure they are competing with the elite on the continent.
Vitor is a burgeoning young talent and a player the Hammers should seriously be scouting as the Brazilian market certainly throws up some impressive and exciting hidden gems.
More crucially, possessing a player of Lucas Paqueta’s ilk coupled with his international class and acclaim means the Hammers could use him to tempt some hot talents to join the club
However, the Irons simply cannot match up to the lure and glamour of the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid who will also become the favoured attraction for young Brazilian products, which means West Ham United may potentially have to explore another market opportunity.
In other West Ham news, Gianluca Scamacca’s future is up in the air after a loan move was blocked.