IN Man City‘s case, they want their Kayky and eat it.
The Premier League leaders have been locked in talks with the Brazilian wonderkid, 17, for months, and are expected to sign the winger in a deal that could be worth as much as £21.5million.
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A product of the Fluminense academy, which has produced the likes of Real Madrid legend Marcelo, Liverpool midfielder Fabinho and Manchester United full-backs Rafael and Fabio – big things are expected of Kayky.
Dubbed the ‘next Neymar’ in his homeland, the forward is blessed with pace and close-control.
It’s no wonder Pep Guardiola is desperate to add him to City’s ranks to bolster their attack.
READY FOR CARNIVAL
At the age of eight, Rio-raised Kayky boasted skills that he believed would set him up perfectly in the Futsal world – a five-a-side game played on a hard court indoors.
However, he fluffed an audition with Fluminense and joined the Mangueira samba school – better known for supplying acts to the Rio Carnival than their footballing prowess.
Later, and ironically, he was rediscovered by scouts at Fluminense while there playing in their kids’ team.
They saw enough in a Mangueira defeat to offer Kayky a place in their prestigious youth set-up.
Fluminense, where Kayky has risen through the ranks, have a rich history of unearthing stars of tomorrowCredit: Instagram
Over recent years, Fluminense have a rich history of bringing through youngsters and selling them on to stay affloat.
But it’s their current “dream generation” which has fans purring.
BRAZILIAN DOUBLE-ACT
Along with Kayky, City are also said to be interested in bringing Metinho to the club from Fluminense.
The pair were an integral part of the team that won the U17 Brazilian championship last year, and finished runners-up in the U17 Copa de Brazil.
On a personal note, Kayky was top scorer in the Brasileirao Under-17 Championship.
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Every goal scored his dedicated to his father Demir with a moustache celebration.
It is why the Tricolor have placed a huge bounty on their prized asset’s head.
GENERATIONAL TALENT
With an ability to frighten his full-back through trickery and his pace, Kayky has drawn comparisons to Neymar, albeit a left-footed one.
He plays mostly on the right, where he cuts in and drives towards the opposition’s defence.
And he also has an eye for goal, as proven by his scoring stats last season.
“Kayky is a player who stands out a lot for his technical quality, especially with regard to one-on-ones, and also in his quality in front of goal,” Fluminense’s U17 coach, Guilherme Torres, told Goal.
Every goal he scored he dedicated to his father Demir with a moustache celebrationCredit: Instagram
“He is also very intelligent, searches for empty spaces on the field and has a good ability to provide assists for his team-mates.
“In addition, he has a winning, competitive mentality, which is important for a high-level player. His resilience has grown as he has matured, and he is learning how to deal with adversity.”
Kayky will need all of that resilience if he is to become a success in the Premier League, where talent alone doesn’t get you to the top.
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