Arsenal get €100m reality check as exciting signing announced

Bournemouth have officially completed the signing of Arsenal target Rayan from Vasco da Gama.

The Brazilian wonderkid was the breakout star of the 2025 Serie A season. Rayan scored 20 goals across all competitions for Vasco da Gama in the last calendar year and, due to his playing style, earned comparisons to former Brazil superstar Adriano.

In recent months, various Premier League clubs were credited with a strong interest in the 19-year-old. Arsenal were among the first clubs to be linked with a move for him, having reportedly scouted the player closely in the final months of 2025.

It initially looked as though Vasco would be able to hold on to Rayan at least until the summer. The youngster signed a new contract with the club in December and looked set to stay this month.

However, Bournemouth made a strong move for him after selling Antoine Semenyo to Man City, and they have now officially announced his signing. The Cherries have reportedly paid as much as €35 million for him.

Rayan will be worth €100m

Interestingly, various reliable sources, including Fabrizio Romano, report that Bournemouth have included a €100m release clause in Rayan’s contract. This illustrates the trust placed in the teenager but also shows that the Cherries remain a selling club.

Should the attacker indeed live up to his potential, suitors like Arsenal and other clubs will be kicking themselves for not taking a chance on him this month when he could have been had for a reasonable price.

In an age of increasingly stringent financial regulations, there is a world of difference between spending €35m and €100m on a player. Arsenal, who will likely have to sell to buy next summer after their 2025 spending spree, will be keenly aware of this.

For now, Rayan is a Bournemouth player, and he will get 18 months to show if Brazilian pundits were right to compare him to Adriano. His release clause only becomes active in 2027.

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