Vasco da Gama sensation Rayan Vitor is already into the third season of his senior career, despite only turning 19 on August 3, which is not a normal occurrence in the Brazilian Serie A, or indeed any other top league in the world. Rayan’s star has also risen rapidly despite Vasco facing one of the most turbulent periods in their history, with financial uncertainty undermining the team’s efforts since key figures from U.S. investment firm 777 Partners were removed from the board in May 2024.
The only thing keeping Vasco above water is the continued strength of their Base Forte academy, which produced Brazil icon Romario, Philippe Coutinho, Douglas Luiz, and more recently, Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos. Rayan could be next in line, having been one of the club’s standout players throughout a testing 2025 campaign.
Barcelona scouts have reportedly been tracking the teenage forward’s progress for the last 18 months, while Arsenal and Liverpool are also said to be weighing up a potential move for him in 2026, which is when his current contract is due to expire. Rayan has impressed so much for Vasco that a heavyweight bidding war could be on the cards in January, with his market value increasing with each passing game.
The question is: just how high is the Vasco starlet’s ceiling? GOAL takes a deep dive into Rayan’s extraordinary potential…