Manchester United are one of a number of European clubs tracking the progress of Brazilian wonderkid Endrick, who looks set to become the latest Selecao superstar
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Endrick Felipe Moreira is already on the radars of the biggest clubs in the world, despite the fact he has yet to sign his first professional contract.
The 15 year old prodigy is already making a name for himself in his native Brazil, following in the footsteps of Selecao star Neymar.
Endrick, a left-footed striker, averages almost a goal a game in his appearances for Palmeiras’ youth teams, having scored a staggering 167 times in 170 matches.
He made headlines at the back end of last week, when he scored a stunning overhead kick during the semi finals of Copinha – a tournament that looks to bring together some of the best young talent from across Brazil.
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Previous breakout stars from the tournament include Rivaldo, Neymar and Real Madrid stars Vinicius Jr and Casemiro.
According to reports in Brazil , Manchester United are one of the clubs monitoring his progress, as he waits for his 16th birthday in July, where he will be able to sign professional terms with his boyhood club.
In fact, he will be unable to make the move to Europe until he’s 18 due to current FIFA regulations, meaning United will have two years to state their case for a potentially generational talent.
But they face steep competition to sign the attacker, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City also credited with an interest.
However, in what promises to be a lengthy transfer pursuit, United hold a major trump card in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese icon will be almost 40 by the time Endrick is able to potentially make the move to Old Trafford, but he shows no signs of slowing down and the youngster would seemingly jump at the chance to play with his idol.
Endrick’s father Douglas Sousa, revealed that the United talisman is his inspiration, basing much of his preparation and approach on Ronaldo’s dedicated lifestyle.
“Endrick follows a lot and is a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo,” he told the Fair Play channel on YouTube. “He has him as a great example. He even says: ‘Dad, I want to be like Cristiano’.
“He read some articles and knows that Cristiano doesn’t have a tattoo, because he donates blood. In the same way that Cristiano is driven by challenges, so is Endrick.
“He likes to train, to improve himself every day, so he has a main mirror in this athlete. Once they put three players: Cristiano, Neymar and Messi, he chose Cristiano.”
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But for now, dreams of lining up alongside his hero are on the backburner, with his dad suggesting that his priorities are winning honours with and in, Brazil.
“He has a dream which is to make history at Palmeiras,” his father added. “In a video he says: the first objective is to reach the professional, the second is to play and remain in the professional, the third is to win the Libertadores, the fourth to win the World Cup and, only the fifth is to play in Europe.
“He only thinks about leaving Palmeiras after winning titles and building a history within the club.”
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