When a young Brazilian forward generates some media hype, Europe’s best dogs tend to stand up and pay attention.
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From Neymar and Gabriel Jesus to Reinier and Vinicius Jr., there seems to be an endless conveyor belt of young Brazilian talent ready to spread their wings and flourish in the major leagues, many of which seem to come through the system in Santos.
Next to step up to the plate could be 19-year-old Kaio Jorge, who shone strongly during the release of the Copa Libertadores 2019/20. Inter, Chelsea and Arsenal are among the clubs believed to be keeping an eye on him, while Wolves are reported to have placed a bid, but at this stage he is largely an unknown amount outside South American circles.
To fill the void, 90 minutes spins you through some important things to know …
Jorge has come through the famous Santos Academy / Pool / Getty Images
In the footsteps of legends such as Pele and Neymar, Jorge is a product of Santos’ famous academy.
He signed for the club as a ten-year-old in 2012 before being promoted to the squad for 20 years just three years later as a 15-year-old. He made his first team debut less than a year later and became the sixth youngest player in the club’s history.
Jorge has played several positions / ALEXANDRE SCHNEIDER / Getty Images
Jorge came through the academy as number ten but since he joined the team, his position has been known to change regularly.
He has played as a forward, winger, number ten and even a false nine, and it helped him score five goals during the 2019/20 Copa Libertadores when Santos finished second.
Jorge has followed in his father’s footsteps / Pool / Getty Images
There are many stories of young Brazilian football players following in their father’s footsteps in the professional game, and Jorge is no different.
His father Jorge Ramos represented Chavas and Gama and also played as a forward, but it is fair to say that Jorge is likely to surpass his father’s achievements.
He began his education in the game that played futsal for Pernambuco-based club Nautico, where he developed a reputation for his productive goal scoring record.
He then moved to Sporting Recife, for which his father once played professionally, before moving south to pursue his own professional dreams.
The name Kaio Jorge has been well known in his home country for some time, as he equaled the record for his childhood god Neymar by turning 15 at the Copa Sao Paulo – the most prestigious youth tournament in Brazil opened to players up to 20 years old.
Such talent has not gone unnoticed on the international stage, as Jorge has represented Brazil at below 15 and below 17 level.
He was part of the squad that finished second to Mexico at the FIFA World Cup in 17 in 2019, where he made the final and finished as the third top scorer in the tournament to earn the bronze shoe.
Not bad when you make the winner just 18 years old to help @SantosFC to @TheLibertadores 16 years old?
Is Kaio Jorge a star in the beginning ❓⭐️pic.twitter.com / 3JtxMj0ZA2
– FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) October 2, 2020
Everyone knows that a safe way to check if someone will be good in the future is to check their rating on Football Manager.
Jorge is a superstar in the beginning if you talk to SI, who gave the young striker a potential of 4.5 stars out of five in the 2021 edition of the game. You can pick him up for around £ 12.5 million too, an absolute bargain.
