Wendeson Wanderley Santos de Melo has been dubbed the 'Brazilian Erling Haaland' due to his prolific goalscoring form, and Manchester City are reportedly interested in the Brazilian teenager
Erling Haaland
Man City are eyeing the ''Brazilian Erling Haaland'(Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport, CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Manchester City are keen on securing the signature of the 'Brazilian Erling Haaland' - though they may need to shell out a staggering £87million to capture the teenage sensation.
17-year-old striker Wendeson Wanderley Santos de Melo – known as Dell - has been lighting up Bahia's youth setup with his remarkable performances. The youngster found the net an incredible 40 times in just 34 appearances for the Brazilian club's under-17 team during 2023.
His prolific scoring record earned him a senior debut for Bahia aged just 16, whilst also securing him the nickname "Haaland of Sertao". It appears he could soon link up with his Norwegian counterpart at the Etihad Stadium, with ESPN reporting that City are monitoring his progress closely, alongside Italian powerhouses AC Milan.
Dell's current Bahia deal includes an £87million release clause, according to the report. Nevertheless, City's owners, the City Football Group, possess a 90 percent stake in the Brazilian outfit, which could make any potential transfer discussions considerably smoother for them compared to rival suitors.
Discussing his ambitions, Dell revealed: "Every player dreams of playing at a high level in Europe. I have this dream of playing for a club like Manchester City, which for me is the best club in the world. But I believe things will happen naturally.
"Before that, I want to play here at Bahia, win titles, become an idol, and then go on to forge my path in Europe. Who knows, maybe win titles and become an idol at Manchester City too."
Discussing his nickname inspired by Haaland, the young player said: "I'm very happy to receive this nickname. Haaland is an inspiration to many. He's a guy whose videos I enjoy watching, both outside and inside the box."
Dell
Dell has a £87m release clause written into his Bahia deal
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"I think my movements are similar to his. I have a few other role models, but besides Haaland, a striker I like and have always followed since the youth academy is [Al-Hilal striker] Marcos Leonardo, who came through Santos. I enjoy watching him play."
Currently, City boasts a wealth of attacking talent. Earlier this year, Haaland inked a record-breaking nine-and-a-half year contract with City, despite persistent rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona.
Commenting on the forward's future, City manager Pep Guardiola stated: "I think Erling is not stupid enough to sign something he would not like to accomplish. That's for sure. But, football, who knows what is going to happen in the next time. Nobody knows."
Haaland has maintained his staggering form this season, netting 12 goals in just nine appearances across all competitions.
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