Man Utd and Brighton lead chase for Brazilian starlet Lorran

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Man Utd and Brighton lead chase for Brazilian starlet Lorran

Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion are leading the chase for Flamengo's teenage sensation Lorran, 90min understands.

The 17-year-old, who is signed to Jay-Z's ROC Nation Sports agency, is widely considered to be one of Brazilian football's finest prospects, and became his club's youngest ever goalscorer in January when he netted in the 1-1 draw with Bangu.

Sources with knowledge of Lorran's situation have confirmed that Europe's top brass are keeping a close eye on his development, with Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion already engaging in talks over a potential move.

90min can confirm that United, who have endured a rocky start to the 2023/24 season, have been actively pursuing Lorran for a number of months, with the intention of securing an early deal ahead of a host of rivals.

Brighton, who have cultivated a reputation for developing young players, are their most prominent competition to date, and they too have held talks with the player's representatives over a potential switch to the AMEX Stadium.

But Flamengo are in no hurry to sell their prized asset, knowing that Premier League trio Chelsea, Manchester City and West Ham United have also shown an interest in Lorran over recent weeks.

Real Madrid’s famed talent spotter Juni Calafat is also keeping abreast of Lorran's development in South America, 90min can further confirm, alongside heavyweight European rivals Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

Lorran is unable to move to Europe until next July, when he turns 18, but his current age does not prevent a deal from being set up in advance – the future transfer of Endrick from Palmeiras to Real Madrid in 2025 an example of such business. His current deal at Flamengo runs until December 2025, with a release clause understood to be set at €50m (£43m).