Rafael Pernao

Chelsea have secured first-refusal on Fluminense wonderkid Rafael Pernao, who is also being tracked by Manchester City.

The 17-year-old striker is seen as one of Brazil's most promising teenagers and was invited to Carrington last year before City made a £3million bid, which was rejected.

Chelsea have made Pernao the first of three Fluminense youngsters they can take first-refusal on as part of an agreement that allowed Deco to move to the Rio de Janeiro club on a free transfer in the summer.

The youth academy is among the best in South America and Pernao looks set to follow Manchester United defenders Rafael and Fabio da Silva in leaving the Fluminense for England.

His current strike partner Wellington Silva has already signed for Arsenal and will join up with the Gunners when he turns 18 in January.

A deal for Pernao is slightly complicated by Flu owning only 50 per cent of his economic rights, with the rest in the hands of investors.

daily mail

not even youtube footage of this Brazilian , are the Mail now just using computer generated names to link us with?