Whilst Kroupi has been getting most of the spotlight, Rayan should absolutely not go unnoticed. According to reports in Brazil, Liverpool are keeping a close eye on the young starlet.

The young Brazilian joined Bournemouth for £24.7 million in January 2026, following his 14-year spell at Vasco da Gama, where he played part of his time alongside former Red Philippe Coutinho. In Brazil, people compare his style of play to that of former star Adriano.

Since his debut in England, he has played 15 matches (1119 minutes), scoring 5 goals and registering 2 assists. Goal scoring has been a huge part of Rayan’s game since 2024, as he ended his campaign as the 4th-highest scorer in the Brazilian Serie A, scoring 14 goals in 34 games, whilst being asked to rotate across the front line.

Predominantly playing as a right winger, he has received a lot of recent praise from his national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti:

He also recently earned a spot on the Golden Boy Awards list as the 18th-best U21 player across European clubs.

As we’ve seen with plenty of Liverpool forwards over the years, including Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and the recent signing of Hugo Ekitike, Rayan is extremely versatile to play as a centre forward, left winger and more commonly, as a right winger.

His directness and power make him a serious threat, and are two of the reasons he has adapted very easily into the Premier League.

With Arne Slot likely to be the head coach for the next season, we know this man loves his duels with the constant references to his players losing duels throughout the season. Compared to other players in his position, Rayan finds himself in the 79th percentile of duels won, averaging 8.47 per 90 mins. Comparing this to Mohamed Salah, who is in the 5th percentile of duels won, averaging 2.51 per 90 mins.

There’s no doubt about it, Rayan would fit in very well at Liverpool.

There is no such thing as a Mohamed Salah replacement. Mohamed Salah is in the debate for the best player in Premier League history, so any talk of ‘replacing’ him is absurd, even if that includes the unlikely signing of Michael Olise.

However, that void needs to be filled as best as it possibly can, and with Arne Slot consistently referencing PSG’s attack throughout his first 2 campaigns as Liverpool manager, it is not surprising that Rayan makes the shortlist as a potential option.

READ MORE: What’s Next for Liverpool? Slot Future, Salah Exit and Transfer Plans

During PSG’s first leg against Liverpool in the 2024/25 season, we experienced Dembele, Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola and Doué all constantly switching positions throughout the game, making them an absolute nightmare to deal with. Whilst Slot has faced justified criticism this season, if he were to obtain the attacking options he wants, like the reported Rayan, could we see a more effective Liverpool attack?

Rayan shares a very distinct quality that Mohamed Salah also possesses, which is his eye for goal. His first thought when he picks up the ball is ‘how are we going to score from this?’ Something PSG’s forwards are also commonly feared for.

With all the transfers that seem too good to be true, there’s always a couple of drawbacks.

The first one is his limited time in the Premier League. He has only just joined Bournemouth this year, so would he be keen to move on so early and potentially tarnish his development?

Rayan received interest from PSG and AC Milan but opted to join Bournemouth, even taking a cut in the process, so developing himself seems a huge factor in his decision-making.

In a similar scenario, Liverpool recently signed Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth, who had only spent 2 years at the club.

Price tag may well be another factor to consider. Whilst Liverpool certainly won’t be shy of spending money on the right player, Bournemouth will likely be unwilling to negotiate; however, as reported by Fabrizio Romano, the player has a €100 million (£86 million) release clause.

READ MORE: Who Is Samuel Martinez? Liverpool’s Next Wonder Kid Discovered

It’s certainly a lot of money to spend on unproven talent, but again, Liverpool have been accustomed to a transfer just like this, most recently with Hugo Ekitike’s €90 million (£77 million) transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Could this be a transfer that happens? Everything points to yes, but not right now. 

Having been selected for the Brazil World Cup squad, the player will only have one thing that’s on his mind.

Price tag will be something that people quiver at, but there’s a reason that a release clause was negotiated into his contract. And that’s because he doesn’t plan to end his career at Bournemouth.

More credible journalists like David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano have linked Liverpool with left-sided wingers like Yan Diamonde (RB Leipzig) and Bradley Barcola (PSG), but Rayan’s future hasn’t been discussed for any club.

This wouldn’t be the first time in recent years that Liverpool have been attracted to a figure from Bournemouth FC. Notably, Richard Hughes would absolutely have had Rayan’s name on his radar during his time there.

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