Manchester United have taken their first real peek at Internacional’s rising star Ricardo Mathias, with [Globo Esporte](https://ge.globo.com/rs/futebol/times/internacional/noticia/2025/08/08/manchester-united-envia-olheiro-para-observar-promessa-do-inter.ghtml) reporting that the Premier League side sent a scout to check him out in person this week.
The 19-year-old forward came off the bench in Inter’s 1-1 draw with Fluminense at the Maracanã on Wednesday, the night the Porto Alegre club bowed out of the Copa do Brasil.
Keeping a close eye on him was Alexandre Torres, former defender and son of Brazil legend Carlos Alberto Torres, on official United duty.
They’re not the only ones sniffing around. Another Premier League club – identity still under wraps – has already sent a letter of intent to show they’re serious.
Before the English interest, Mathias had popped up on PSV Eindhoven’s radar and attracted approaches from two foreign investment groups in Brazil, but nothing stuck.
At 1.92m, Mathias looks built for the rough-and-tumble, but he’s got the pace and movement to catch defenders off guard. Coaches rave about his blend of size, speed and sharp finishing, already calling him a striker destined for the “first line of the European market” [a couple of years ago](https://ge.globo.com/rs/futebol/times/internacional/noticia/2023/12/28/joia-2024-artilheiro-de-17-anos-e-quase-dois-metros-de-altura-gera-expectativa-no-inter.ghtml).
He models himself on Robert Lewandowski, chasing spaces, dropping deep for the ball, and not just waiting around in the box.
Since swapping Nova Iguaçu’s streets for Internacional in 2022, he’s played 17 senior games and scored three goals.
Tied down until the end of 2028 with a €65m release clause, his value has shot up from €1m to €4m in under a year. With United now lurking, the race to land him might just be warming up.