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Many were surprised when Bournemouth confirmed the signing of one of Brazil’s brightest young attacking talents in January.

Nineteen-year-old Rayan made the switch from Vasco da Gama, a top-tier Brazilian side where he featured nearly 100 times and netted 25 goals, to the Vitality Stadium in a transfer initially valued at £25 million.

Rayan is the son of former Vasco defender Valkmar, who represented the club during its late-1990s golden period. Back in 2022, his tally of 29 goals in 34 matches for Vasco’s Under-17 team drew interest from Barcelona.

In his first three appearances for Bournemouth, the teenager has already scored twice and provided one assist, signalling that he is ready to make an immediate impression following the exit of Antoine Semenyo.

Rayan primarily operates on the right wing but is equally comfortable playing through the centre in a more traditional striker role.

Following in the footsteps of Robbie Keane (1999) and Anthony Martial (2015), Rayan has become only the third teenager to either score or assist in each of his first three Premier League matches.

Rayan’s early impact comes as no surprise, given his confidence and attacking instinct. During his time at Vasco da Gama, he developed a reputation for his eagerness to shoot from any distance, showcasing his fearless approach to attacking football.

While long-range screamers are rare, it was encouraging that Rayan’s first two goals for the Cherries came from inside the penalty area, demonstrating composure and smart positioning.

His debut goal reflected his direct style — charging at Aston Villa’s defence with flair and precision before slotting home with his weaker foot. His second was a testament to his aerial ability, staying alert at the back post to power a header past Jordan Pickford.

As with any young player moving straight from South America to the Premier League, questions about adaptation and cultural adjustment naturally arise. Can they handle the pace and physicality of English football? Is there enough support to help them settle both on and off the pitch?

Bournemouth, however, have a strong record of nurturing young players who later move to elite clubs. Over the past 18 months, the club has seen Dean Huijsen join Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez move to Liverpool, Illia Zabarnyi sign for Paris Saint-Germain, Antoine Semenyo transfer to Manchester City, and Dominic Solanke complete a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

DID YOU KNOW: By the age of 11, Rayan had already scored an astonishing 280 goals for Vasco’s youth teams.