Once again, Palmeiras has lost a top talent to a top European club: this time, Vitor Reis has made the leap to Manchester City.
Next in line, please: another talented player from the renowned Palmeiras academy has made the leap to a top European club. This time, ManCity struck from the Brazilian first division: the Skyblues signed 19-year-old Vitor Reis – according to media reports for a base transfer fee of €35 million – and tied him to themselves until 2029.
“Vitor Reis is one of the most promising young defenders in the world,” said ManCity sporting director Txiki Begiristain, praising him: ”In his short time in Brazilian adult football, he has shown that he can go very far. We know that working with Pep and our coaches will help him get the best out of him.” The new signing is “excellent on the ball and outstanding in the air”: “He has all the qualities you need to be one of the best.”
With the move, the center-back is following in the footsteps of Gabriel Jesus, who left Sao Paulo for ManCity in 2017. Palmeiras has recently caused a stir by selling its young talents Endrick (Real Madrid) and Estevao Willian (to Chelsea in the summer of 2025).
ManCity is working on the center defense of the future
Reis is one of the most promising defensive talents in Brazil and captained his country’s U-17 team to the U-17 World Cup in 2023, among other achievements. He had not yet made his debut for Palmeiras’ professional team at the time. Reis, who can also play as a right-back, celebrated this in June last year in the 3-0 defeat in Fortaleza. Since then, it has been hard to imagine the starting lineup without the youngster: he started 16 out of a possible 26 games (1,457 minutes).
In Manchester, Reis could form the central defense of the future together with Abdukodir Khusanov in the long term. City signed the 20-year-old Uzbek on Monday.