Talents Calendar 

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No other club in Brazil has seen more wonderkids come through in the last few years than Palmeiras. After producing Endrick, Gabriel Jesus, Luis Guilherme, and Estêvão, the club based in São Paulo has recently seen the breakthrough of Vitor Reis. The center-back was one of the main reasons why Palmeiras remained in the title race in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and ultimately finished in second place. 

At the end of his first year as a professional, Reis had managed 22 appearances, scoring two goals. Reis especially impressed in the second half of the Série A season, which takes place from spring to fall. The 18-year-old challenged veteran professional Gustavo Gómez and Murilo for minutes in the starting XI. Both belonged to the best defensive line in Brazil’s first division and helped Palmeiras secure a 12th league title. 

Vitor Reis belongs to the great generation of talents produced by Palmeiras, including Endrick, Luis Guilherme, and Estêvão. A trio of talents who have either already left (Endrick to Real Madrid, Guilherme to West Ham) or will leave (Estêvão to Chelsea) Palmeiras and have earned the club more than €100m. When playing in youth teams with those other wonderkids, the center-back was always the captain. And it won’t be long until he will follow his former teammates to one of Europe’s top clubs. 

The center-back already has a market value of €14m, and sooner or later, Reis, who is under contract until 2028, will earn Palmeiras a significant transfer fee. The right-footed player already has admitted that he would like to play in a country where he could earn a bit more money, but not until after he has represented Palmeiras at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. There, Palmeiras faces Porto, Al Ahly, and hosts Inter Miami CF in Group A. 

“Right now, I am focused on Palmeiras and leave all the rest to my agent,” Reis said. “I will now go on holiday and then focus on Palmeiras. I think everyone dreams of playing against Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. I think we will have to work very hard to beat them.” 

“My reference was always Marquinhos,” Reis said when asked about his role model. “I always watch his games, and his behavior off the pitch inspires me. I also like Casemiro, who hails from my city and also inspires me.” The former is still under contract until 2028 at Paris Saint-Germain, and the latter is under contract until 2026 at Manchester United. The Red Devils, Real Madrid, and Arsenal have already scouted Reis several times.

From December 1 to 24, we introduce new players from different countries born in 2007 and 2008. Area managers, users, and data scouts come into play as experts throughout the series. You can follow all those players by adding them to your TM watchlist.