chelsea Felipe Morais is keeping an eye on him, and the Cruzeiro teenager continues to explain why the Blues are making such a move so quickly.
Chelsea's interest in the 17-year-old first emerged during the U17 World Cup last year. Later, we covered the Premier League side Even tested Cruzeiro's resolve with an offer of €10m (£8.6m).
The Brazilian club immediately made its position clear. After all, they The midfielder has been tied to a new contract With a €100 million (£86 million) release clause for foreign clubs until 2029.
As of now nothing has changed on that front. What has changed is the progress of Felipe Moraes.
The attacking midfielder has now taken another important step in his development by making his senior debut for Cruzeiro. Even better for those who were already watching him, he marked the occasion with his first professional goal in a friendly win over Defensor.
It's another timely reminder of why Chelsea so quickly identified him as one of Brazil's standout prospects.
Felipe Morais keeps progressing
Felipe Moraes has steadily progressed in Cruzeiro's academy since joining the club in 2017. As a result, he is earning a reputation as one of their most talented prospects.
His performances for Brazil at the U17 World Cup further accelerated that rise. He appeared in seven of eight matches and scored twice, attracting attention from Chelsea, Atlético Madrid and other European clubs.
Now, he has started to make the transition to senior football.
Usually playing the role of Matheus Pereira during the second half against the defenders, the teenager showed confidence on the ball. Then, he capped his performance with a fine effort from outside the penalty area.
For Chelsea's recruitment staff, this is exactly the type of progression they would have hoped to see after establishing an interest months ago.
Chelsea's interest remains background noise
Despite the increased attention from Europe, Felipe Moraes insists his focus remains firmly on Cruzeiro.
Speaking after his senior debut, the midfielder was asked about transfer speculation and he left those matters up to his representatives.
"This position is for the people at my agency. My focus is solely on Cruzeiro at this time, which is a great pleasure for me and my family. I can only thank everyone who has been a part of this process."
Cruzeiro's contract renewal has already demonstrated their determination to retain one of the club's biggest academy talents.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have already shown that they are willing to make a quick move for the youngster. As Felipe Morais continues to achieve milestones in his career, there are increasing signs that his early assessment was well-founded.
