Manchester City will reportedly look to beat Chelsea, Barcelona, and Real Madrid in the race to sign 19-year-old Brazilian prodigy Rayan Vitor Simplicio Rocha.
According to an update by Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, Rayan Vitor Simplicio Rocha is the subject of interest from Manchester City. Chelsea, Barcelona, and Real Madrid are also keen on signing the Vasco da Gama attacker next year. Meanwhile, the Brazilian club’s “negotiation power will be much stronger in January and June 2026” amid his links with European bigwigs.
How has Rayan Vitor Simplicio Rocha risen in prominence?
Rayan Vitor Simplicio Rocha has established himself as one of the best young prospects in his homeland since breaking into the first-team squad at Vasco da Gama. The Rio de Janeiro native has spent his formative years thus far with Vasco da Gama, joining them as a six-year-old in 2012. The 19-year-old progressed through the ranks at the club before making his senior bow.
The Brazilian wonderkid debuted for the Brasileirao Serie A club in 2023, and he has burst into the spotlight in the last two years. The player has been excellent in the 2025 season, scoring 20 goals and providing one assist in 55 outings. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of high-profile clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona, and Real Madrid.
A man in demand
Pep Guardiola has a stacked offensive unit at Manchester City. However, Savinho’s long-term future is uncertain, as he has emerged as a target for many high-profile clubs. So, the Vasco da Gama whizkid has emerged as a viable target for Manchester City. As for Barcelona, Marcus Rashford’s long-term future is uncertain, even though he has been excellent in his loan stint thus far. So, the Catalan club’s long-term interest is understandable.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s interest in Rayan Vitor Simplicio Rocha is understandable. The Blues have a stacked offensive unit, and Giovany Quenda will join them next year. They constantly scour the South American market for promising prodigies, and Estevao Willian is the latest prodigy to establish a foothold at Chelsea. So, his compatriot has unsurprisingly emerged as a target for Chelsea.
As for Real Madrid, the youngster has been on Los Blancos’ radar for a long time. The continued interest makes sense, as Rodrygo’s long-term future at the Santiago Bernabeu is uncertain. So, the Vasco da Gama wonderkid has emerged as a viable target for Real Madrid. Additionally, FC Porto and Paris Saint-Germain are keen on securing his services.
However, the report has revealed that Vasco da Gama’s “negotiation power will be much stronger in January and June 2026” amid Rayan’s links with several European bigwigs. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the 19-year-old Brazilian wonderkid.