Who is Lorran? How Neymar & Arjen Robben inspired Flamengo's record-breaking wonderkid

Flamengo have a reputation for producing top young talents, and the latest off the production line is 17-year-old Lorran.

An integral part of Brazil's fascinating 2006 generation, Lorran is already attracting major interest from across the globe. 90min understands Manchester United & Brighton & Hove Albion are positioning themselves as early leaders in the battle for his signature, but the list of his suitors is extensive.

Here's all you need to know about Lorran.

Lorran's career so far

Lorran had a slow start to life in football. While his natural talent was always clear, coaches had early concerns about his confidence and desire to make it to the top of the game before a trip to a tournament in Berlin at the age of 13 triggered a change in his mentality.

A Flamengo scout caught wind of his performances soon after and invited Lorran to join up with the academy.

"He was superior to other players," scout Mathura Junior told Globo. "He had few actions in the game, but he caught our attention and wanted to bring him to the club and develop."

Lorran enjoyed plenty of success at youth level with Flamengo before signing his first professional contract on his 16th birthday, with his club keen to secure his future as soon as possible. He'd sign improved terms just a few months later, before making his senior debut for Flamengo in January 2023 in a Campeonato Carioca match with Audax Rio.

His whirlwind emergence continued when Lorran scored his first goal for the club two weeks later against Bangu, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Flamengo history. At 16 years, six months and 20 days, he shattered the record which was previously held by current Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, who was 17 when he opened his account for the club.

Internationally, Lorran was part of the Brazil Under-17 team that won the 2023 South American Championship.

Lorran's strengths

The first thing you'll notice about Lorran is his dribbling. The youngster is electric, but he combines that pace with excellent footwork and impressive strength which makes him very difficult to dispossess.

He even compares himself to Neymar, telling Globo: "I'm fast, I can dribble, I hit the ball, I take free-kicks. I drag the ball, I drive."

Lorran is also known for his love of shooting. Once he has burst past a defender, a shot usually follows and the strength of his shots often causes problems for goalkeepers.

He likes to cut in from the right wing on to his stronger left foot, crediting Arjen Robben for his love of the move.

"I'm more used to playing on the right side, cutting into the middle, but a very good characteristic I have is playing all positions on the forward line," he explained. "My strong point is dribbling, when I cut to the middle. Robben [inspires me]. I saw him play a little bit when he was at Bayern [Munich].

"But my dream is to play and win titles for Flamengo as a professional. I see myself playing professionally. Working calmly. They’ve already said: 'Go after it, dedicate yourself', let’s see."

Lorran's weaknesses

While Lorran's shooting is impressive, it can prove problematic at times. He occasionally suffers from tunnel vision and is guilty of shooting from poor positions on the pitch when a pass would have been the better option.

Lorran also admits he wants to work on his defensive awareness, revealing: "It's about losing the ball and reacting faster. Improve your composure when applying pressure and closing the lines."

Lorran's release clause

Flamengo have already handed Lorran two senior contracts, the second of which is understood to contain a release clause of €50m (£43m).

He remains under contract until December 2025.

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