Manchester United’s catalogue of talented youngsters signed by Ineos is already pending the next addition, but the club are now keen on a talented Brazilian.
Since taking the helm of the sporting operations at Manchester United in 2024, Ineos have added plenty of young talent to the roster.
Sekou Kone, Ayden Heaven, Diego Leon, and soon-to-be Cristian Orozco are the players signed as 18-year-olds, with United viewing them as massive talents.
Of these additions, so far, Heaven has been the most impressive, proving to be a complete bargain for £1.5m.
But now, reports are suggesting that Ineos has eyed up the next talent to add to this list.
Do you agree with Ineos’ recruitment model of signing wonderkids?
Jason Wilcox, Omar Berrada and Sir Jim Ratcliffe in stands.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Let us know your view on Ineos’ youth recruitment in the comments below!
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Manchester United are interested in signing Rafael Belinho
United scouts are always on the hunt for the next big thing, and in Rafael Belinho, Jason Wilcox, and academy director Stephen Torpey have identified a talent worth chasing.
Jason Wilcox and Stephen Torpey
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
This comes according to The Mirror, which claims that Brazilian starlet Belinho is now being tracked by United and Arsenal.
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United’s interest will also be rivalled by Barcelona and Real Madrid. His agent has moved players to Barcelona from Croatia before, and so they are considered favourites with Deco a big fan of him after meetings in September.
Additionally, Borussia Dortmund are keen on signing the forward, with face-to-face talks taking place recently.
The 17-year-old has made a splash at Dinamo Zagreb, before he transferred to NK Kustosija. As a result of his ability, many believe Belinho is one of the best talents in world football to have been born in 2009.
Belinho’s move to Kustosija was due to the Brazilian not committing to Zagreb, as he wants to move to a big club in Europe once he turns 18 next January.
Imagine you are Jason Wilcox… what transfer business would you do before deadline day?
Go all out for a midfielder? Make a under the radar swoop? Let us know!
Director of football Jason Wilcox in action during a first-team training session at the Carrington training complex in 2025 in Manchester, England.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
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Who is Manchester United target Rafael Belinho?
United’s interest in Belinho is no shock, as his ability is clear to see, playing in a typical Brazilian style, despite also holding a Croatian passport.
Belinho’s full name is Rafael Gomes Cirino, and he plays as an attacking midfielder or winger, using his incredible ability on the ball to beat defenders, making him a joy to watch, as he honed his craft in futsal.
Despite his main strength being in his technical ability, he also has an excellent end product, with great creativity on the ball, and enjoys scoring.
The fact that Deco has already begun the chase for Belinho speaks volumes about his ability. A potentially excellent long-term investment for United.
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