Everton have been linked with a potential January transfer window move for Botafogo's Brazil international right-back Vitinho
Vitinho during the international friendly between South Korea and Brazil at Seoul World Cup Stadium on October 10, 2025
Vitinho during the international friendly between South Korea and Brazil at Seoul World Cup Stadium on October 10, 2025
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Vincent Kompany once lauded him as being “impeccable” while he’s been given his chance in the Brazil national team by Carlo Ancelotti. So could Vitinho solve Everton’s long-running problem position?
BBC Sport reported this week that Everton are in the market to sign a right-back in the January transfer window in a position where they have injuries, ageing players and makeshift options filling in and claim Vitinho is among those on their radar.
The 26-year-old already has two seasons worth of experience in English football, helping Burnley to win the Championship in 2022/23 and then playing for them in the Premier League the following campaign.
Current Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany, who was his boss with the Clarets, said of Vitinho: “Attitude? Impeccable. Work-rate, speed, athleticism. He was already important for us in the Championship last year, but I think his physical profile has enabled him to adapt to the Premier League and even in this league he is giving us so much.
Born in Cataguases, in the state of Minas Gerais on July 23, 1999, Vitinho started his career with Belo Horizonte-based Cruzeiro as a six-year-old but after just a single first team appearance for them, he moved to Belgian side Cercle Brugge before his time at Turf Moor.
He returned to Brazil in an €8million move to Rio de Janeiro outfit Botafogo in 2024 following Burnley’s relegation and earlier this year he was handed his first two international caps by former Everton manager Ancelotti who started him for the 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat in Bolivia – at the El Alto Stadium, located 13,412 feet above sea level – on September 10 and then a 5-0 friendly win over South Korea in Seoul on October 10.
The Italian gaffer knows all about the Blues’ difficulties to find a long-term successor to club captain Seamus Coleman, now 37.
During his own time at Goodison Park, Ancelotti had France international Djibril Sidibe on loan from Monaco but saw the World Cup winner’s entrance as a first-half substitute for the injured Theo Walcott in a 3-1 home win over Crystal Palace on February 8, 2019, delayed because he was only wearing one sock.
If Everton – who made their only raid of the last January transfer window on Brazil’s Serie A to take Argentinian midfielder Charly Alcaraz on loan from Botafogo’s neighbours Flamengo – want to foot the bill to bring Vitinho back to Europe for a second spell, just what might he offer David Moyes’ men?
In terms of current Premier League players, Comparisonator’s Virtual Transfer tool calculates Newcastle United’s Kieran Trippier as being the closest in style to him with an 80% match.
Moyes has picked centre-back Jake O’Brien and midfielder James Garner both out of their natural position at right-back this season, but when it comes to player attributes, Vitinho scores 7 out of 10 as a wing-back; 5.9 as a two-ways full-back; 5.8 as a playmaker back and 4.5 as a defensive full-back.
We can also use Comparisonator’s Virtual Transfer tool to correlate Vitinho’s statistics from Serie A this season against those playing in his position in the Premier League.
The Brazilian appears to boast a burst of pace as when it comes to maximum speed, based over a top five recordings in the competition, his figure of 34.83km/h can only be topped by Jackson Tchatchoua of Wolverhampton Wanderers on 35.8km/h.
His average of 0.75 successful dribbles per 90 minutes would place him ninth in the Premier League behind leader Amad Diallo of Manchester United (2), who is more like a winger anyway; while he’d be sixth for successful dribbles in the final third of the pitch (0.56) with Diallo again top on 1.71.
Vitinho's statistics for crosses this season compared to Premier League players in his position
Vitinho's statistics for crosses this season compared to Premier League players in his position
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Only Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur (5.4) puts in more crosses than Vitinho’s (3.81), a figure that sees him edge out Garner on 3.8 while he’d be ranked fifth for successful crosses (1.33), a category led by Tchatchoua on 1.54.
*Comparisonator is a football data comparison tool from 271 professional leagues around the world which compares players and clubs by utilising over 100 different parameters. Click here for more details.