Following the good seasons by Brazilian wonderkids Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, Real Madrid will be hoping that Reinier Jesus is not too far behind.
The 20-year-old arrived in Madrid in 2019, following just 15 senior appearances for Flamengo. The €30m fee paid for him still looks expensive, although a similar progression to Rodrygo and Vinicius would turn it into a good deal.
Spending the last two seasons on loan at Borussia Dortmund, he struggled to make an impact there. Reinier made 39 appearances in those two seasons, but many of them were brief showings.
Returning to Spain this summer, another loan move looks on the cards for Reinier. According to Diario AS, Benfica were in touch with Los Blancos, but the player is keen to stay in Spain next season.
That has given rise to a surprise candidate for his signature. Real Valladolid owner Ronaldo Nazario could be about to work his contacts and bring his compatriot to the Estadio Jose Zorrilla, as per the same report, which cited Defensa Central as the source.
Reinier would certainly stand a good chance of winning minutes at Valladolid compared to Benfica and Dortmund. It would also force Reinier to learn a different brand of football from what he would be used to at Real Madrid. It’s likely Pacheta’s side will set up to counter often, requiring plenty of work without the ball.
