Brazilian writer Pedro Torres scouts five lesser-known names from Serie A and B in Brazil in search of talented soccer players that could fill gaps in many of the rosters around the league.
It is no longer a secret that Major League Soccer has seen the Brazilian market become a significant conduit of players for MLS over the last few years. Skillful off the dribble, Brazilians tend to add to the technical level of the league’s competitive ion; they’re typically players who can also bring a financial return to the club over the long run.
Brazilian players on the rise – the next MLS batch?
In this edition of TMLS Scout, we will explore five perhaps lesser-known players from Serie A and B of the Brazilian Championship who could be great additions to any MLS roster.
Here are the names:
Maurício – Attacking midfielder – International
22-year-old attacking midfielder Mauricio is a name MLS could look at closely this Summer. Able to play as a right midfielder, central defender, and even a winger, Maurício is an excellent passing player with an associative game and good finishing.
In the current season, he lost a little space in Colorado, but in 2022 has scored six goals and given five assists, being an essential part of Inter’s runner-up campaign in 2022.
Erick – Right Wing – Ceará
(Foto: Kid Jr./SVM)
With five goals and an assist in the current Serie B season, Erick stands out for being strong in 1-1 situations and for his ability to step into the area as a shooter.
Thinking about teams that need to raise their attacking power, a good name could be Erick. The Ceará’s right winger, who is currently in Série B of the Brasileirão, is 25 years old and is not currently on any European target lists. Instead, he could add a lot in MLS without a massive price tag; his Transfermarkt value: is close to 400k.
Rodrigo Gelado – Left-back – Vila Nova/GO
At 19 years old, young left-back Rodrigo has been one of the highlights of Vila Nova/GO’s good campaign in Série B 2023. After a good performance with Vila’s U-20 in the Copa SP de Juniores, Rodrigo was promoted to the primary team and has already caught the attention of some Serie A clubs in Brazil.
Very strong in offensive situations, Rodrigo is projected to be an attractive athlete for European clubs. MLS teams could receive financial and technical gains if choosing to sign, develop him, then move him to a team in Europe.
In the current season, Rodrigo already has three assists and has started 13 games, with 17% participation on goal.
Rikelme – Left-back – Cuiabá
(Foto/Reprodução/Cuiabá)
Another young versatile full-back, Rikelme also has an offensive focus and can even act as a left midfielder or on the wing. With a good physique, he is an athlete who matches the transition style which is currently used by a lot of MLS teams.
According to some Brazilian portals, the Cuiabá winger even received inquiries from an MLS club, but the proposal was considered low by Cuiabá. Nameless, the team made a 1 million dollar bid for the player (4.8 million reais).
Bitello – Midfielder – Grêmio
Bitello is perhaps the most expensive and popular name on this list, but it is one of the most capable of delivering an immediate technical return to the team that signs him.
The midfielder, who already has three goals in the Brasileiro League, has a ton of quality to set up teammates, good dribbling, and is super dangerous with his finishes.
At 23 years old, a move for Bitello would need to come with guarantees and be financially robust. In return, an MLS side would sign a top athlete who would add a lot technically to the league and could lead to good money on a potential future sale.
Capa: TMLS Art
