Football Manager 2022: 10 Brazilian Wonderkids You Must Sign
8. Renan (Palmeiras)
After a quick detour to Europe, we go back to the homeland of joga bonito to talk about this versatile 19-year-old defender who has made 52 senior appearances across all competitions for Santos so far.
Versatile is perhaps the best word to use to describe Renan, as he is equally good playing as centre-back in a back-two or back-three, as a left-back, or even as a left wing-back. His combination of physicality and technique allows him to easily adapt to any of those roles, which makes him incredibly useful in a number of different systems.
Being only six-foot, he is not the type of defender that will pose a threat in attacking corners (he's not a great source of goals), but he is very composed and reads the game well. He will get the job done and be a 7 out 10 most weeks.
However, like most players in his position, he will probably enter his peak a bit later than a winger or a forward would, so it is essential that you give him enough time and, maybe, loan him out for a couple of seasons before you throw him into the first team. Priced at £4.9 - 15 million, he is a very sound investment.