The 19-year-old Brazilian arrived on the south coast with a big billing, but Andoni Iraola encouraged patience over early expectations.
But the boss also said the forward deals well with pressure – and he has more than demonstrated his excellent ability.
Read more:
He has the opportunity to break a record to become the first teenager to score or assist in his first four games in the Premier League when the Cherries visit West Ham next weekend.
His arrival at Bournemouth has triggered huge interest in the club in Brazil, with ESPN Brazil seeing record numbers for its YouTube live stream of the game against Everton of close to one million viewers – more than tuned in for the Superbowl on the same channel.
Here’s everything you need to know about Rayan.
Bournemouth's Rayan celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool. (Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Rayan’s early life and career is characterised by Brazilian club Vasco da Gama. His father Valkmar played at centre back for the club in the 1990s, and he was a part of the Libertadores-winning team in 1998.
He was born and raised in the area around the São Januário stadium, in the Barreira do Vasco region.
The 19-year-old joined the club of his community 13 years ago aged six, and progressed through the system.
Reports in Brazilian outlets say he scored more than 300 goals before reaching the first team and scored key goals against rivals Fluminense in youth tournaments, including a brace in the U17 Copa do Brazil final in a 2-1 Vasco win.
Rayan was the youngest ever player to represent the Vasco first team at 16 years, five months and 16 days in January 2023, when he made his professional debut off the bench against Audax Rio in the Campeonato Carioca.
He was also the youngest player to score for the club this century when he netted his first goal in June 2023.
That came aged 16 years, 10 months and 8 days old, when he smashed home into the bottom corner from the right of the box with a first-time finish against Internacional in a 2-1 defeat in the league.
Rayan began to establish himself in the first team in the 23/24 season, making 33 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice and providing one assist with 13 starts.
The 24/25 season was where he really began to flourish, though.
Twenty goals came across 57 games in the season, including 14 in 37 in the league, including braces against EC Vitoria and Internacional.
His performances drew the attention of the world of football, with the likes of Barcelona reportedly interested in his signature.
But, after one appearance for Vasco in the Campeonato Carioca, in which he netted a farewell brace, the Cherries swooped in to secure his signature.
Bournemouth's Rayan providing the assist for their second goal during the Premier League match at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton. (Image: Jacob King/PA Wire)
The Daily Echo reported a deal in principle agreed for €35m, before he travelled to the country for his medical with an agreed fee of £24.7m, with £5.6m in bonuses.
The winger committed to the Cherries project despite lucrative offers from Russia, Saudi Arabia and other top European clubs as Bournemouth reinvested some of the money they earned from the sale of Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City.
He departed Vasco having made 99 appearances in all competitions, with 25 goals and two assists.
A release clause of €100m in the deal looks to be shrewd business by the Cherries, as he has started superbly at Bournemouth.
Rayan. (Image: Richard Crease)
His first three games for the club have seen him provide an assist for Alex Scott off the bench at Wolves, before scoring a goal in each of his first two starts for the club, against Aston Villa and Everton.
That means he became only the third teenager to score or assist in his first three games in the league, along with Robbie Keane for Coventry in 1999/2000 and Anthony Martial for Manchester United in 15/16.
But that pair didn’t have a goal involvement in their fourth game – so Rayan has the chance to make history at the London Stadium vs West Ham next weekend.