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IT’S been a long time coming for Carlos Vinicius.
The Brazilian striker, 25, has finally hit the big time – signing for Premier League giants Tottenham on an initial loan, with a view to a £41million transfer.

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Benfica’s Carlos Vinicius has signed for Tottenham on an initial loan dealCredit: AFP – Getty

It caps off a wonderful few years for the target man, who calls himself ‘V95’ because he idolises Cristiano ‘CR7’ Ronaldo, and almost quit the game at 22.
Vinicius played at youth level with Man City star Gabriel Jesus and Flamengo striker Gabriel Barbosa, but didn’t quite hit the heady heights as his compatriots.
A journeyman with Santos, Napoli and Monaco, he exploded onto the scene with Rio Ave in Portugal before excelling last season with Benfica to win the Primeira Liga’s Golden Boot.
Here’s the story that’s brought him to North London.

CROSSED PATHS
Vinicius youth career took in Brazil’s most famous clubs, including Santos and Palmeiras.
But he failed to establish himself at either, with competition in the striking positions fierce with the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Barbosa being preferred talents.
Vinicius shared the dressing room with ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa at Santos, playing in the clubs’ U17 and U20 teams.
They also won the U20 World Cup with Brazil together in 2013.

“We had a very good relationship, of great friendship”.

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Vinicius idolised Ronaldo growing up but struggled to make his name in Brazil

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At 22 Vinicius considered quitting footballCredit: Instagram
At Palmeiras, Vinicius saw the rise of Jesus… the Manchester City one.
It gave him the inspiration that young players can succeed if they train hard enough.
Vinicius said: “We started to see our idols up close, and we started to believe that it is possible to get there, with work and perseverance”.
THEY THINK IT’S ALL OVER
At 22, frustrated with his lack of progress in the game and married with a child, Vinicius considered jacking his football career in.
He was playing for lowly Gremio Anapolis, who were in the second division of the Campeonato Goiano – a local state championship where the standard was semi-pro at best.
There, a chance encounter with Real Sport Clube director Luis Neves changed his life forever.
Neves was in Brazil to check out another player in the Goiano Championship, but was wowed by Vinicius.
He declared he had to take his discovery to the Portuguese second division, where assistant coach Bruno Carvalho found out a startling revelation.
“When he was here, he revealed to me that he had prepared everything with this wife to give up football after that championship,” Carvalho told Maisfutebol.

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Standing at 6ft 3in, Vinicius is a powerful centre forwardCredit: Getty Images – Getty
WITNESS THE RISE
Former Real SC boss Filipe Martins was his first manager in Portugal, and helped Vinicius realise his potential.
He scored 20 goals in 39 matches under the watchful eye of Martins, who outlined his frontman’s strengths and weaknesses.
Martins declared: “He plays very well with his left foot, he’s strong with his head. He has difficulties playing in small spaces, with his back to the goal, however there is a lot of room for progression.
“He will continue to progress and become a reference player.”
Martins was also full of praise for Vinicius’s character.
“He is a five-star human being, with great maturity, always fun and a good colleague”.

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A former coach revealed Vinicius has a brilliant left-foot, but struggles with his back to goalCredit: EPA
V95
For commercial footballers tend to opt for an acronym to call themselves by.
And Vinicius goes with V95 – in tribute to his idol Ronaldo, as well as his squad number 95 that was chosen because he was born in 1995.
Amusingly, a quick search on Google reveals V95 is also the name of a penis enlargement cream.
But there’s nothing small about the 6ft 3in star, who earned the nickname ‘The Beast’ in Portugal.
He admires Ronaldinho. “I like to watch his videos. He had a brilliant career, he is a reference for all Brazilians, a player who broke many barriers,” Vinicius revealed.
But it’s Ronaldo who he feels he has similar traits with.
He said: “Ronaldo’s explosiveness, the way he looked for the one-to-one and went over his opponents is something I see myself in.”

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Vinicius wears the number 95 and calls himself V95 in an ode to hero CR7 RonaldoCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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Vinicius shares his acronym with a penis enlargement creamCredit: Amazon
NAPLES TO MONACO & NEARLY WOLVERHAMPTON
After kicking on with Real SC, Napoli took a punt on Vinicius – signing him for £3.5million in 2018.
But he never played a competitive game, despite impressing in his first preseason and scoring in a friendly against Carpi.
He was loaned to Portuguese side Rio Ave that season – scoring 12 goals in 19 games.
Another loan to Monaco the following season saw Vinicius play back-up to Radamel Falcao in a side that just managed to avoid relegation from Ligue 1.
In 2019, flush with £113million in their coffers from the sale Joao Felix, Benfica rescued Vinicius from his Italian nightmare in a £17million deal.
He scored on his debut against Pacos de Ferreira, and continued to frighten defences all over the country with his power and pace.
Vinicius finished last season’s campaign as top goalscorer in the Portuguese top flight with 18 goals.
His form alerted the attention of Wolves, who were said to be interested in signing the player represented by super agent Jorge Mendes back in January.

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Last season Vinicius finished as top scorer in the Portuguese leagueCredit: EPA

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Vinicius is represented by Jorge Mendes, the agent of Spurs boss Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo

However, it’s Tottenham who have got their first and secured competition for Harry Kane.
Vinicius could make his debut at the Theatre of Dreams, where Spurs play Manchester United next.
What a fitting place to start his next chapter.

Carlos Vinicius scores 90th minute winning goal for Monaco vs Lille More

IT looks like it’s over for Jose Mourinho and Dele Alli, before it really got a chance to work.
The England midfielder, 24, has been left out of Tottenham’s squad yet again for the Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea tonight.

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It’s the latest snub for the Three Lions star, who has only started one match for Spurs this season against Everton – but was hauled off at half-time.
Reports suggest that the Portuguese boss is willing to let Alli, who has been linked with a move to French giants PSG, leave the club.
How did Jose and Dele fall out of love?

THAT FIRST TRAINING SESSION
Mourinho doesn’t suffer fools gladly.
So, Alli’s past reputation – including 62 goals for the club across six seasons – counts for nothing to the former Chelsea manager.
It’s all what you do in training.
“You are f****** lazy,” Mourinho told Alli in a clip from Amazon’s All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur documentary.

“I’m going to be a pain in the arse on you, and you are lucky. You are lucky, because when I am a pain in the arse it is a good thing.”
And when Mourinho first addressed the media at Tottenham boss back in November, he revealed what he said to the talent.

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Tensions began when Mourinho questioned Alli’s dedication to trainingCredit: Getty – Contributor

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Mourinho was quick to call Alli lazyCredit: Getty – Contributor
“I asked him if he was Dele or Dele’s brother?” a stony-faced Mourinho told a room full of journalists.
“He told me he was Dele. ‘OK,’ I said. ‘Play like Dele.’”
SIR ALEX SAID ‘BUY ALLI’
There’s no doubt Jose steals the show in All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur.
And it’s in one of his very first meetings with Daniel Levy when they’re discussing Dele when his true feelings show.
As Levy enters Mourinho’s office ahead of his first match against West Ham, a serious conversation questioning Alli’s professionalism is had.
Mourinho reveals: “I told Dele very directly that he doesn’t train well, he’s not a good trainer. I’m not saying he’s a disaster but I’m not saying he’s Harry Kane. Harry Kane trains well.”
He later says Sir Alex Ferguson advised him to buy Alli when he was Manchester United manager.
“Sir Alex Ferguson gave me only one advice in two and a half years [at Manchester United], buy Dele Alli,” he continues.
“That guy with that mentality, the way he plays with that aggression he has in his mind, this guy is a Manchester United guy. Buy Dele Alli. And he [Ferguson] has an eye for players.”

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Mourinho revealed Sir Alex Ferguson told him to buy Dele Alli for Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty – Contributor
SHAMED IN FRONT OF TEAM-MATES
During Spurs’ pre-match meeting ahead of a Premier league game against West Ham, again with Amazon’s cameras rolling, Alli is once more a target for Mourinho.
Incredibly, he is called lazy for a second time by the gaffer in front of his team-mates – in an altercation that appears to either embarrass or motivate him.
“I understood already that you are a f****** lazy guy in training,” Mourinho insists as Alli and the others laugh nervously.
It’s the start of things to come.
HEART-TO-HEART
Through the years, Mourinho has won and lost dressing rooms with his heavy-handed approach and demanding nature.
And there’s a moment where the two-time Champions League-winner excels and gets to show off the man-management skills that have made him a Premier League champion three times.
He calls Dele to his office in another scene in All or Nothing to reveal his fears for the player – insisting he won’t fulfil his promise if he doesn’t regain his focus.
“Maybe, inside, you are telling me to f*** off, but I have to tell you exactly what I see,” Mourinho begins his monologue.

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After a heart-to-heart, the Mourinho/Alli love affair seems to be in full swingCredit: Getty – Contributor
“I have no doubts about your potential. I saw you do incredible things in incredible matches. But I always felt that you had ups and downs.
“There is a huge difference between a player who has consistency and a player who has moments. That is what makes the difference between a top, top player and a player with top potential.
“It is something to analyse yourself for you to realise why your career has been MK Dons, Tottenham, national team… bang!
“Then, when you reached the top, why do you have these little ups and downs.
“I don’t know if it is to do with your lifestyle – if in one period you were an amazing professional but in another period you felt you had become a party boy.
“I have no idea – only you can know that.
“I am 56 now and yesterday I was 20. Time flies. One day I think you will regret it if you don’t reach what you can reach.
“I am not expecting you to be the man of the match every game. I am not expecting you to score goals every game. I want just to tell you that you will regret it.”
IT WORKED!
Whether Jose was looking to get a rise out of Dele, who seemingly took the criticism on the chin, only he will know.

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Dele starts off like a house on fire under the Mourinho regimeCredit: PA:Press Association

But their brutal heart-to-heart seemed to have the desired effect, and it initially gave Alli the motivation to prove his manager wrong.
In Mourinho’s first five games, he was one of Spurs’ best players scoring four goals and providing three assists.
There were sublime pieces of skill, including a flick to keep the ball in play in the run-up to Lucas Moura’s goal against the Hammers.
Then there was his magic-touch goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Everything appeared rosy.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
When the coronavirus pandemic brought a halt to the footballing world, Mourinho was adamant he was going to wish Alli happy birthday.
Jose, who lives five minutes from Dele, took a stroll past his house and spied the topless midfielder outside.
They shared a wave, a smile and a greeting – with Jose offering Dele many happy returns.
However, when football restarted – Dele’s form tailed off and they appeared to be on the rocks.

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While in lockdown Dele celebrated his 24th birthdayCredit: Instagram @dele

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Mourinho visited Alli on his birthday and wished him happy birthdayCredit: EPA
AND HE’S YET TO REDISCOVER IT
Train hard, play hard – it’s the Mourinho way, as All or Nothing suggests.
But, the underlying tension between Alli and Mourinho has yet to have been resolved.

Despite a flicker of brilliance early on, Dele has been left on the sidelines – with Mourinho insisting he should take note of Tanguy Ndombele’s resurgence by buckling down and working hard in training.
When given the opportunity to shut the door on Alli in a recent press conference, Mourinho left it tantalisingly ajar.
Could their love affair offer a few more twists and turns?

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho will not confirm if Dele Alli is in future plans More