After making his senior debut in 2023, Rayan has cemented his spot in the Vasco da Gama starting XI and his performances in Brazil have not gone unnoticed. Indeed, in 2022 La Liga giants Barcelona were credited with an interest in the teenage forward.
And while Vasco are enduring a sub-par season, Rayan is proving a shining light for the Brazilian giants having scored seven goals and laid on an additional assist in the 2025 Brasileirao season.
Premier League sides are also keeping tabs on Rayan, with Tottenham among those to be monitoring the rising star. The north London side have been reportedly tracking his performances in recent months and checked on him recently when he scored in the 2-0 win over Cruzeiro last week.
Rayan, who is capped at U17 level, is tipped to receive his first senior call up to the Brazil national team before long, where he’d be expected to play alongside Spurs striker Richarlison. That being said, Spurs aren’t the only Premier League team interested in Rayan.
Spurs are looking into striker options as they seek to reinforce a frontline that has misfired in recent weeks. Richarlison is the club’s top scorer in the league this season with three goals to his name, two of which came in the opening weekend win over Burnley.
However, Spurs would face ample competition for his services for Vasco entertain the idea of selling their prized asset. Chelsea, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Brighton, Spanish giants Barcelona and Russian outfit Zenit St. Petersburg are also believed to be interested in Rayan.
In addition to Rayan’s performances for his club, the 19-year-old is believed to have a £34m ($46m) release clause, which appeals to potential suitors, who feel confident they can negotiate that fee down.
Vasco, though, will have seen how much Palmeiras sold Estevao to Chelsea for in 2024 and expect a similar fee should they be forced into selling Rayan.
The club’s manager, Fernando Diniz, has already claimed the teenager is a superstar-in-waiting, telling Brazilian media: “A very rare player. At the age of 17, he has that maturity. He’s going to help Vasco a lot. He’s a special boy.”
He added: “(Rayan) is an extremely different player, one of the few Brazilian football forwards who is complete. It’s high, fast, left-handed, kicks well, went on to enter the area and make head goal, it picks up well, closes well. You can play high-end, fake 9, 9, at the other end.
Tottenham are desperate for attacking reinforcements at the turn of the year. Dominic Solanke recently underwent ankle surgery, while loan signing Randal Kolo Muani has registered just 13 minutes of competitive action for Thomas Frank’s side owing to a dead leg that sidelined the French forward for recent meetings with Brighton, Doncaster, Wolves and Bodo/Glimt.
Mathys Tel, whose loan move was made permanent over the summer, struggled on his only Premier League start, that coming in a 3-0 win at West Ham last month.
