Manchester City
Manchester City and the wider City Football Group have already identified Flamengo defender João Victor as a player for the future. However, their first attempt to secure him has been knocked back.
The Brazilian club have rejected a €10m (£8.7m) offer from the City Football Group for the 19-year-old centre-back, according to Globo Esporte.
The proposal arrived last week and was immediately turned down. Flamengo are convinced the defender’s value will continue to rise if he remains at the club.
The report adds that the holding company have already approved João Victor internally. They want to bring him to Europe.
The plan is for him to begin his European career at one of CFG’s satellite clubs before potentially taking the next step within the network.
Flamengo, however, have no intention of rushing into a sale. The expectation in Brazil is that a new proposal will arrive after the opening offer was rejected.
Development plan already in place
The interest goes beyond simple scouting. Globo Esporte explain City Football Group have a clear development pathway in mind for João Victor. The plan is not an immediate move to Manchester City.
Flamengo believe they have every reason to resist for now. João Victor started all three matches during manager Leonardo Jardim’s recent trip to Portugal. He impressed with his performances.
He is also the captain of Brazil’s Under-20 side ahead of the 2027 South American Championship. At that tournament, qualification for the Under-20 World Cup will be at stake.
This is not the first time Flamengo have rejected a sizeable bid for the defender either. Ajax offered €8m (£6.9m) towards the end of 2025. At that time, João Victor had come under criticism after a handful of senior appearances. That proposal was also dismissed without hesitation.
Why City are interested
João Victor has made 14 senior appearances for Flamengo despite still being only 19 years old.
Originally developed as a defensive midfielder before moving into central defence at academy level, he is regarded as a modern ball-playing centre-back.
His passing range, composure in possession and ability to start attacks from deep are among his strongest qualities. In addition, his tactical reading of the game, anticipation and 1.87m frame have helped him establish himself as one of Flamengo’s brightest academy graduates.
Those attributes, combined with extensive experience for Brazil’s youth national teams, explain why CFG have already decided he fits the profile they want to develop in Europe.
For now, though, Flamengo remain in control of the situation. They have already rejected offers worth €8m (£6.9m) and €10m (£8.7m), and the expectation is that City Football Group will have to improve their proposal if they want to take the next step.