Vitor Reis' arrival at Manchester City signals intent on the part of the English giants to shape the future of world football. That they paid €35 million for a 19-year-old centre-back is testimony enough to the fact that when it comes to potential stars, especially coming from Brazil-home of so many soccer greats-City does not get stingy on spending.
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With Manchester City heavily investing in young talent, Vitor Reis certainly fits the mold. Having captained both Palmeiras' youth teams and the Brazilian national youth squad, the defender shows not only maturity beyond his years but technical potential that catches the eye of scouts everywhere.
Reis is a modern defender, a must in Pep Guardiola's system, as his coolness with the ball, delivering long-range passes, and staying cool in any circumstance has worked exactly to the book of the style stipulated by the Catalan coach. Picked up for much more than just defending, the young Brazilian has all the tools to become the first motor of City's attacks-a role very dear to Guardiola.
Guardiola's influence and the Brazilian legacy
The relationship between Vitor Reis and Pep Guardiola will mark a point in his career. Guardiola has a tendency to take players to the next level, either by refining their skills or changing their tactical understanding. For a defender already full of talent, the opportunity to work with one of the best coaches in soccer history could mark the leap from "potential" to "elite."
Nor would one be able to look past the fact that City's history with Brazilian players was reason enough for any new Brazilian talent to feel at home at Etihad Stadium, much like Ederson and Fernandinho. Having teammates like Ederson and the young Savinho in the team will ease things for Reis; it builds up a cultural and emotional support network too, which could be very important to him.
The weight of the investment and the expectations
Not that when a club pays as much as €35 million for a player this young, expectations will be high, but Vitor Reis looks more than ready to handle the pressure. Having already captained teams and playing strongly with Palmeiras in high competitions like the Brazilian Championship and Copa Libertadores, he should already have built up the resilience required to face the challenges of an elite club.
Txiki Begiristain, City's director of football, was fulsome in his praise for the defender, while highlighting the player's aerial ability and technical quality: "Vitor is very young, but his quality is so high that we believe he can help us now and for many years to come."
The challenge of adapting to English Soccer
As great as Vitor Reis is, the adjustment to English soccer will not be easy. The Premier League has traditionally been a very physical, high-pace division that also demands a lot tactically from teams. Any young player coming in from Brazil would require time to acclimate to such an environment, but structure at City and patience from Guardiola could prove valuable in that process.
In addition, having experienced players in the squad and one of the best-prepared coaching staffs in world soccer gives Reis a solid base on which to grow and develop.