Vitor Reis: 10 things you didn't know | OneFootball

Vitor Reis is the latest signing to join Manchester City after completing his move from Palmeiras.

The 19-year-old Brazilian youth international joins on a four-and-a-half-year deal and will link up Pep Guardiola’s squad for the rest of the 2024/25 season.

Here are 10 things you need to know about our new defender…

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Where it began

Vitor de Oliveira Nunes dos Reis, to give him his full name, was born in Sao Jose dos Campos in the state of Sao Paulo and celebrated his 19th birthday on 12 January.

After playing for an academy in his hometown, he joined Palmeiras, based in the city of Sao Paulo, at the age of 10 in 2016.

Natural born defender

Right-footed, he can play at centre-back or at full-back and always wanted to be a defender according to his mother, Ana Maria.

"When he was seven, the coach told him he was going to be a centre-back and he liked the idea. I didn't know what to think about it because I didn't even know what a centre-back was at the time. But the coach was right,” she was quoted as saying in The Guardian.

WATCH: Vitor Reis joins Manchester City

Rising star

Reis won the Brazilian Under-17 Championship and Brazilian Under-17 Cup in 2022 and 2023 before stepping up to the first team at Palmeiras.

He also won three caps for Brazil’s under-16s and has made eight appearances for the national team’s under-17s.

No looking back

Just 18, he made his senior debut for Palmeiras in June 2024 and never returned to the youth side, quickly establishing himself as a regular for the first team.

A first goal came the following week against Corinthians and he also scored in a Brazilian Cup win over Flamengo although they were beaten on aggregate.

WATCH: Reis reveals the qualities he will offer City

Early credit

Such was his impact, that Reis was named in the Brazilian League Team of the Year for 2024.

Known as the Trofeu Mesa Redonda, a long list of players is nominated by fans before experts narrow it down to who they consider to have performed best.

Marquee signing

Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos is an influence on his playing style due to his technical and defensive capabilities.

"I’ve always looked up to Marquinhos,” he has said previously. “I always watch his games and I'm inspired by his attitude on and off the pitch.”

Next generation

And South American football expert Tim Vickery can understand comparisons with the PSG player and another elegant Brazil defender in Thiago Silva.

“Classy on the ball, head up and can play out the back,” he said on Sky Sports.

“Versatile defensively, he can operate in a back three or four. Happier on the right but has played on the left. The other thing is leadership qualities.”

Blue on Blue

While he may not have played in the Premier League, he has experience of England attackers having faced the young Three Lions as captain of Brazil in a 2-1 win at the Under-17 World Cup in 2023.

And he may recognise some familiar faces at the CFA, with England’s attacking trio that day made up of EDS trio Justin Oboavwoduo, Matty Warhurst and Joel Ndala, currently on loan at PSV, and captained by Lakyle Samuel.

Journey planner

Vitor follows in the direct footsteps of striker Gabriel Jesus who made the same move from Palmeiras to the Etihad Stadium.

He went onto to make 236 appearances for the Blues, scoring 95 times and winning major trophies including four Premier League titles.

Brazilian royalty

A look through the history of Palmeiras is like a Who’s Who? of the greatest Brazilian defenders of all time and hopefully our new signing can join that list.

Among them are Djalma Santos, Cafu and Roberto Carlos who are considered among the greatest full-backs of all time.