Manchester United are seemingly keen on delving into the South American market and they’re set to compete with Chelsea for the next Endrick.
Old Trafford has found itself with a handful of wonderkids this season as Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho establish themselves as some of the league’s best.
With youth being such a success for Manchester United, it would make sense if the club wanted to sign more prospects. This seems to be the case as over the past few days links have emerged.
Four exciting Argentine youngsters have been scouted by United recently, while links with Palmeiras forward Thalys have only further emphasised that wonderkids are in demand by Ineos. According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, United are battling Man City and Chelsea for the 18-year-old’s signature.
With this link in mind, we’ve spoken with Brazilian football journalist and Vamo Palmeiras site editor, Rogerio Amaral Junior, to gain some greater insight into Thalys.
Everything you need to know about Palmeiras gem Thalys
What kind of a forward is Thalys and what are his biggest strengths? Can Thalys be compared with any other player past and present?
“Thalys is a player who started in the youth teams as a midfielder. But due to his finishing power, he was transformed into a striker. He shoots with his left leg, and he has a good height too (1.84m).
“He has a style a little similar to Endrick’s, mainly due to his accurate finishing and good participation in the construction of the play. It’s not a striker who gets trapped inside the area.
“He is seen within Palmeiras as a player with a lot of potential, both for performance on the field and for sale to Europe.”
Is he a player you think could make the jump to Premier League football?
“I believe that jumping to the Premier League immediately would be hasty. He doesn’t have any games as a professional for Palmeiras. He’s not an extra-class, like Endrick, but he’s a great player who has a lot of room for improvement. I think if he went now, he would have to be loaned to a smaller team to gain experience.”
Does he seem like he could handle the pressure of a move to Manchester United?
“It’s hard to say that for sure. In the youth categories, he is a striker who tends to be very regular but has never been tested under the pressure that is professional football. At Palmeiras, he also trains with the professional team but has not yet made his debut. It is likely that if he is not sold, he will make his professional debut this year.”
How much would Thalys cost Manchester United?
According to Rogerio, there is a release clause within Thalys’ contract which stands at £34m which would be a hell of a fee to pay for a player without senior experience.
Despite the release clause, a bid of around £29m is one that Palmeiras could quite possibly accept as this would be a substantial amount for a player they are yet to bring into the senior side.
The price tag while sounding steep, is potentially worth considering for United as he’s shown some real improvements to start 2024. He’s played five games this year and scored three goals in that time which is a better return than he had in 2023 with 14 goals in 38 games.
Another reason the price tag shouldn’t be immediately baulked at is that Palmeiras just want the going rate for a young Brazilian talent with Premier League giants interested.
That being said, by the sounds of things Thalys will need to show a lot more to convince a top European club to take that risk on him, but he has time on his side to do so and we shall see if he moves into senior football this year.
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