Paulinho: Introducing the Brazilian wonderkid interesting the likes of Man City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and PSG
The Vasco da Gama attacking midfielder was one of Brazil's stars at the South American Under-17 Championship and is being trailed by the best clubs in Europe
A year ago in the South American Under-17 Championships, Brazil unveiled a player of such promise that Real Madrid almost paid £40 million for him.
But Vinicius Junior was not the only future star in the side.
Flying lower, but still impressively was attacking midfielder Paulinho of Vasco da Gama.
Indeed, Paulinho beat Vinicius in the race to be the first to score in the Brazilian first division.
To show it was no fluke, he did it twice, grabbing both in a 2-1 win away to Atletico Mineiro last July.
The goals are a micro-show of the assets that make him such an exciting talent, wanted by the likes of Manchester City and PSG.
The first came as a result of ghosting beyond the defensive line. The second was a shot curled gorgeously into the corner from the edge of the area.
These are stand out qualities of his game. He is dynamic, giving the pass and already moving forward into vulnerable space to collect the return.
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And cutting in from the left he offers a threat to goal with his right footed shooting.
The downside is the weakness of his left foot, which he is very reluctant to use.
Opposing markers have been slow to realise that his effectiveness can be greatly reduced by shepherding him onto his weaker side.
The difference between being a good player and a great one could depend on how much progress he can make towards becoming genuinely two footed.
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For a while, though, he will not be making progress.
In a recent Copa Libertadores game away to Cruzeiro he fell awkwardly on his elbow.
The fracture will keep him out of action for a few months.
The scenes of Paulinho lying on the pitch shaking with pain were upsetting – and perhaps almost as painful to the club as they were to the player.
Vasco have been counting on selling their youthful promise in an attempt to balance the books.
That task becomes harder now that he is not playing.
But he turns 18 in July, and will therefore be able to move to Europe if terms are agreed.
And agent Carlos Leite is understood to be working hard to convince European clubs, including Manchester City, of his worth.
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There are obvious risks in taking a teenage Brazilian across the Atlantic.
Going through adolescence can be difficult enough, without doing it in another culture.
Making a premature move abroad has harmed many a career.
The good news with Paulinho is that he comes across as thoughtful, level headed and mature.
One of his aunts is a leading Brazilian journalist, and he should be better equipped than most to deal with the challenges of living abroad.
And, desperate for cash, if Vasco get their way, that could be happening after the summer transfer window.