It says a lot of Manchester United's recent recruitment that there is a genuine case for each of INEOS' summer arrivals to be named the signing of the season at Old Trafford.
Senne Lammens, considering the surprise, calming influence he has brought to the table, may well be the frontrunner, although Matheus Cunha has taken his own game up a notch in 2026.
The Brazilian began the year by netting away at Elland Road, while he has already scored three times under Michael Carrick's watch, producing a delightful array of finishes against Arsenal, Fulham and Aston Villa.
Matheus-Cunha-Man-Utd-Bournemouth
From a relatively quiet start to life in Manchester, the 26-year-old is now front and centre of Carrick's resurgent side, having set the benchmark for future United signings heading into the summer.
Man Utd battling to sign another Brazilian sensation after Cunha
Cunha's £62.5m arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers proved the first deal of a pivotal 2025 summer window for the Red Devils, with there hopefully set to be more of the same this time around.
The man on everybody's lips right now is Bruno Guimaraes, following claims that talks have been held with the Newcastle United skipper, although whether the INEOS regime can actually prise the 28-year-old from St James' Park remains to be seen.
Either way, that apparent interest in the Magpies star fits with United's recent trend of targeting Premier League talents, be it Bryan Mbeumo or the aforementioned Cunha, two men who have since hit the ground running at the Theatre of Dreams.
Casemiro vs Guimaraes - 25/26 PL stats
Casemiro
29
28
7
2
4
1.0
81%
2.4
1.3
51%
Reports late last week indicated that a similar move could well be on the cards, with the Old Trafford side said to be battling it out with Arsenal for the signing of Bournemouth's Rayan.
As per Brazilian outlet RTI Esporte, the two Premier League rivals are keeping tabs on the 19-year-old, following his recent move from Vasco de Gama, with both Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid also in the frame.
Considering the teenager has only just joined the Cherries on a £30m deal, however, he certainly won't come cheap, with the report suggesting that he has a €100m (£86m) release clause in his long-term contract at the Vitality Stadium.
Man Utd could sign a bigger talent than Guimaraes in Cunha repeat
The man whom Rayan has replaced on the south coast, Antoine Semenyo, had been a notable target for United both in the summer and in January, with the Ghanaian ultimately opting for the Etihad during the winter window.
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It is to Rayan's credit, however, that the Cherries have managed to swiftly move on from what could have been a catastrophic sale, with the young Brazilian having been an instant hit for Andoni Iraola's side.
In eight Premier League appearances thus far, the fleet-footed forward - who mirrors Cunha in being able to play centrally or on either flank - has already scored twice and provided one assist, notably breezing past Lucas Digne for a lovely solo goal against Aston Villa last month.
More recently too, Bournemouth's new number 37 gave Luke Shaw a difficult time of things in Friday's 2-2 draw at the Vitality, having registered three shots and created one 'big chance' in that dramatic late-night contest.
While he does not boast the extensive Premier League experience that Cunha had enjoyed at Molineux, this is another truly exciting attacking option, with United right to be watching his development closely.
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Indeed, it could be argued that at a time when the Red Devils are seeking options in central midfield and on the flanks, Rayan might even represent a bigger talent than his compatriot Guimaraes, such has been the explosive start to his senior career.
Still only 19, he previously racked up 99 appearances for his former side, remarkably scoring 25 times in all competitions, having proved such a menace on his favoured left foot.
The rapid rise he has enjoyed since has ensured that Rayan has already been called up to Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad, with a first senior outing for his country surely in the works.
For comparison, in the case of Guimaraes - who made 107 appearances for Athletico Paranaense, before joining Lyon - his Selecao debut didn't come until the age of 22, highlighting why Rayan is already ahead in that regard.
Bruno-Guimaraes
United have already seen first-hand the talent that the young winger possesses, with it easy to see why he is attracting such significant interest, even after only a brief stint in English football thus far.
INEOS have already reaped the rewards of investing heavily in Cunha, why not do the same with the next Brazilian Premier League sensation in Rayan?
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