Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus appeared to let slip that teenage starlet Reinier is on the move to Europe, shortly before the player began following a host of Real Madrid stars on Instagram.
Speaking to the Portuguese newspaper Record this week, Jesus rebuffed suggestions that he doesn't do enough to bring through young players by saying: "I promoted three players [at Flamengo], one a 17-year-old, one an 18-year-old and the other a 19-year-old.
"They have been starters in Flamengo matches and the 17-year-old is going to be sold to one of Europe's big clubs for a multi-million-euro fee."
Although he did not identify the players by name, Jesus seems to have been referring to Reinier, Lincoln (a forward who has just turned 19) and Matheus Thuler, a defender who, though he is now actually 20, has impressed under the Portuguese coach.
Hours after Jesus' comments in Record, Reinier began following several Real Madrid players on Instagram - Marco Asensio, Luka Jovic, Éder Militão, Eden Hazard, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Vinicius Júnior, Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo Goes and Marcelo - as well as the club itself.