Bournemouth: Why the new Brazilian striker has the potential to be ‘one of the best in the world’

His decision to join Bournemouth sparked controversy in Brazil, where there was a feeling that he was supposed to move to a bigger club.

But it was a carefully considered move.

Ryan has always insisted that he wants to have a long career in Europe. He even sought advice from former Liverpool and Barcelona player Philippe Coutinho, who has now returned to Vasco.

“I’m asking him [Coutinho] a lot. Some players go to Europe but end up coming straight back. So I say: Coutinho, help me. “I want to make a name for myself too,” he told Globo.

In the end, it will depend on how quickly you adapt to the new environment.

“Players from Rio can sometimes be less open to adapting,” Almeida says. “They often want to keep the Rio lifestyle – the beach and rice and beans – an easy routine.

“It will be interesting to see if he is ready for the move. Hopefully a club like Bournemouth will provide a welcoming environment.”

Ryan has scored more goals in the Brazilian league in 2025 (14) than Brazilian youngster Estévao of Chelsea (13 in 2024), Real Madrid’s Endrik (11 in 2023), Rodrygo (eight in 2018) or Vinicius Junior (four in 2018) in a single season.

It was not surprising when his name began to be mentioned when he was called up to the Brazilian national team last year. But coach Carlo Ancelotti excluded him from his team.

As much as no one doubts his potential, he still has a lot of room for improvement.

“His involvement in games fluctuates a lot,” says a senior European scout who has followed him closely, and spoke anonymously to protect relationships.

“He switches off sometimes. Sometimes, when he has to compete, he doesn’t. Even though he’s big, he’s not as physical as he could be.”

“Tracking back to help the full-back and pressing…those demands of modern football are the areas where he is still lagging behind. Even at Vasco, people used to ask him for more power, to raise his tempo and increase his work rate.”

Ryan will also have to deal with the pressure of being the next Estevao.

They played together at the 2023 U-17 World Cup in a team that included Manchester City’s Vitor Reis, Wolves’ Pedro Lima, and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Koa Elias.

“I think the comparison with Estevao will be inevitable, because the expectation is often to find a new Estevao,” Almeida concludes.

“Estevao is probably the best player I’ve worked with at academy level in my career. And Ryan has a lot of potential. I think he can reach a very high level and play for one of the big clubs in England – he’s got that in him.”

Now he has to prove it at Bournemouth. Maybe that’s not a problem for someone who’s been promoted since he was 11 years old.