Man Utd scout Brazil's Neymar-inspired next Joga Bonito star

Stuart Telford

• 28 Apr 2024 11:30 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United have sent scouts to watch another prodigy from what is beginning to look like the next golden generation of Brazilian talents.

Brazil are without a World Cup win in 22 years - an affront to the nation who have won the competition a record five times.

That vintage of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and Co. will take some beating, but giants of European football have once again started collecting Brazilians.

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Barcelona signed Vitor Roque from Athletico Parananense for €40 million in January, and Palemeiras prodigy Endrick will follow him to Spain with Real Madrid in July with los Blancos paying €72m.

And now Manchester United are ready to get in on the act, according to a report.

Man Utd 'cast an eye'

"With a fantastic assist and a goal in his first four games for Gremio, European giants are naturally circling for [Gustavo] Nunes," write Planet Football.

"Manchester United have already had scouts cast an eye on the teenager, while Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are all said to be keeping tabs on him too."

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Nunes - sometimes called Gustavinho - has made no secret of the fact he idolises Neymar, the former Barcelona and PSG star who was an exemplar of Joga Bonito (the beautiful game), sometimes to the chagrin of opposition defenders.

Nunes, 18, has four goals and five assists since making the step up to first-team football on a full-time basis this year. As a right-footed left winger, the comparisons with Neymar, now of Al-Hilal, seem inevitable.

Man Utd already have a pair of Brazilians on their books in Casemiro and Antony, although their futures are uncertain in the new Sir Jim Ratcliffe-led era.

Nunes would better fit Ratcliffe's vision of signing talented youngsters with a high upside, though.