Defender Jair Cunha has been backed to quickly give head coach Nuno Espirito Santo a selection headache when he links up with Nottingham Forest.
The centre-back and striker Igor Jesus are set to complete moves to the City Ground from Botafogo after the Club World Cup. If the Reds get their way, they would love to make it a triple transfer with left-back Cuiabano also making the switch.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, deals for Jair and Jesus are “sealed” but there are “still details pending” for Cuiabano. Brighton and Hove Albion are interested in the latter so his future remains unclear.
But the view from Brazil is that Forest’s targeting of the trio is no surprise. Journalist Geovana Barcelos, who writes for Brazilian publication BolaVIP, believes all three could make an impact in the Premier League.
Jesus has already impressed Reds fans with his performances at the FIFA tournament in America. And Jair looks to have the ability to provide competition in central defence, where fellow Brazilian Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic formed an effective partnership in the Garibaldi last season.
“Among the names, the most effective player at the moment is Igor Jesus,” Barcelos told NottinghamshireLive. “On the other hand, Cuiabano and Jair have more potential for growth. This does not mean only one player will be able to deliver immediately, but rather that two other players can wait.
“Although Igor Jesus is the big name at the moment, I believe in the future Cuiabano could be the main name in the team. And Jair, who should give the coach the biggest headache.
“Jesus and Cuiabano have speed as their main characteristic. However, Jesus is more effective when it comes to scoring goals.
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“Cuiabano, on the other hand, has more strength and determination to fight for the ball. He is a player with great expectations and has been earning his place in the team. He is the one with the most potential for growth and to be able to meet expectations on the field.
“Jair is still a young defender who, despite having good skills, still makes mistakes that can compromise him on the field. He is not a bad player, but patience will be necessary.
“Jesus will be the player who will be missed the most. He is the player who caused the most commotion among fans with his departure.”
Jesus has scored twice for Botafogo so far at the Club World Cup, including bagging the only goal of the game against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week. Jair also played a key role in that game by helping to shut out the French giants. The defender had previously joined his teammate in getting on the scoresheet in a 2-1 victory over Seattle Sounders in their opening group game.
Jair only moved to Botafogo in February after coming up through the ranks at Santos. Although the 20-year-old doesn’t have vast experience at senior level, he is said to have great potential.
“Jair is a young centre-back, very promising, with good technical skills and strong aerial ability,” said Trivela’s Botafogo reporter Gabriel Rodrigues. “He’s tall (1.98 metres) and technically good with the ball at his feet, helping in the team’s build-up from the back.
“Because of his age and the fact he played in Brazil’s second division with Santos, he has limited experience in top-tier Brazilian and South American competitions. It’s hard to fully assess his time at Botafogo but he lived up to expectations.
“He took advantage of issues faced by Bastos, the former starter, early this year and quickly became a regular starter. Thanks to some strong performances at a high level, he leaves the club with his reputation enhanced. He is a focused, grounded young man with a mature mindset.”
If Forest can snap up 22-year-old Cuiabano, in addition to Jair and Jesus, they could find themselves with three great prospects. Adapting to English football doesn’t always come easily, but time and patience could be beneficial.
“Cuiabano’s success will depend on playing in a system that allows him to push forward without having too many defensive responsibilities,” Rodrigues added. “If he has that, he could thrive in the Premier League. Jair is young, but he can certainly adapt and develop quickly in England.”
The Brazilian trio could be in action again on Monday night. Botafogo take on Atletico Madrid (8pm kick-off GMT) at the Rose Bowl in California.
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