Robinho Jr: Why son of ex-Real Madrid forward is being linked with €100m transfer to Europe's elite

Robinho Jr was born on December 17, 2007, and became known as 'Juninho' after taking his first steps into football at Santos-based club Portuarios, where he quickly showed glimpses of real potential.

His first coach, Robson Fernandes de Oliveira, said in an interview with Placar: "Juninho came to me when he was five or six years old, in 2012, and he was always completely different from the others. I encouraged him to keep the ball at his feet for as long as possible. The parents of the other boys would get angry with me, but I insisted because I saw something completely exceptional: a left-footed boy who had a more refined dribble than his father. He was unbelievably skillful and had incredible courage to try as many times as necessary."

In Oliveira's final game managing the youth team, Robinho produced two goals and an assist to inspire Portuarios to a 3-2 comeback victory against Portuguesa Santista. "After that day, I told Robinho: 'He's going to be better than you!'" Oliveira claims to have said after the match.

The teenager got the chance to tread the same path as his father in 2022, when he was drafted into the Santos academy ranks at the tender age of 14. The youngster made an immediate impression on his new coaches, and was promoted to the club's Under-17s side within a year. On August 9, 2024, he signed his first professional contract and started going by the name Robinho Jr.

"Today I realise one more dream and I'm grateful to God for every opportunity, every challenge, every cry and every achievement so far. He has helped and sustained me," he wrote in an emotional post on Instagram. "I thank everyone who believes in me and is part of my story."

Robinho Jr finished the 2024 season as the joint-top-scorer in the Sao Paulo State U17 Championship with nine goals, helping the team clinch the trophy despite not finishing any of the matches he played. Santos U17 coach Elder Campos only started Robinho Jr on 10 occasions while using him as a substitute a further 19 times as he carefully managed the teenager's development.

"His technique fits very well with the style that Santos is looking for, but he still has a late maturation," said Campos. "He is light, fast and has the dribbling skills, but he struggled a bit physically in the U17s. Little by little, he gained space and playing time, because he quickly understood how to solve this: he made the decision to release the ball more quickly, something unusual for his age."

Robinho was rewarded with a place in the Santos U20s side that competed in the Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Junior, before being registered in the senior squad for the 2025 Campeonato Paulista. That gave him the chance to train for the first time with Neymar, who had just completed his homecoming transfer after leaving Al-Hilal as a free agent.

Robinho Jr continued in the U20s initially, but finally made his senior bow for Santos in a 3-1 friendly win over Desportiva Ferroviaria on July 10, and marked the occasion with an assist. Seven days later, he made his competitive debut in Serie A, coming on for the final 24 minutes in a 1-0 home victory over Flamengo. Neymar scored the winning goal, but reserved special words of praise for his new team-mate when speaking to the media after the game.

"Juninho has a lot of potential. The resemblance to his father is very strong. He has a very good, very strong head on his shoulders. It's not easy to debut like this, with the pressure that comes with his name," said Neymar. "I'm here to help. He's a very kind-hearted boy and I'm rooting for him a lot. I was happy to see him when he was little and to see him debut alongside me. Time is passing, and quickly, and now it only depends on him. He has the footballing talent."

Robinho Jr also made cameo appearances in defeats to Mirassol and Internacional in July, and signed a contract extension through to 2030. That agreement included a €100 million (£86m/$118m) release clause, per Placar, and he was given the No.7 shirt that his father wore during his time at Vila Belmiro.

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira said in the official club announcement: "From his first steps in the youth academy, he demonstrated that he has great technical potential. His attacking DNA and Santos' tradition of revealing great talents leave us confident and hopeful; he will write his own history at the club."

Santos boss Juan Pablo Vojvoda only used Robinho Jr sparingly in August and September, but finally handed the forward his maiden start for a trip to the Allianz Parque to face Palmeiras on November 7. He impressed during his 65 minutes on the pitch, showing intelligent off-the-ball movement and strong link-up play despite Santos' struggles to keep possession for long periods. Palmeiras ultimately emerged 2-0 winners, but Robinho Jr asserted himself well at one of the most intimidating stadiums in Brazilian football.

"I liked his first half. He played a solid match, especially considering it was his first start," Vojvoda told reporters. "He will keep growing. I spoke to him and told him he will be a great player. Of course, he still needs numbers, assists and goals, but he is on the right path."

Santos welcomed Palmeiras to Vila Belmiro for the reverse fixture just a week later, and exacted their revenge, with Robinho Jr playing a vital role off the bench. He calmly headed the ball down for Benjamin Rollheiser to fire in the only goal of the game in the 91st minute.

Robinho Jr finished the 2025 campaign with 15 senior appearances to his name, and has added six more to his name already at the start of the new Brazilian season. Vojvoda has yet to hand the teenager a regular starting role, and he's still looking for his first professional goal, but he is considered to be ahead in his development.

Robinho Jr is versatile enough to play in a variety of attacking postions, but he prefers to be stationed on the right flank. He uses his explosive speed and dazzling footwork to elude defenders and cut inside. From there, he usually looks to play connective passes, but is not afraid to let fly if given enough space.

In one-on-one situations, Robinho Jr is very difficult to stop, boasting excellent close control and a deep box of tricks. His relatively short stature (1.70 m) helps him maintain a low centre of gravity and keep the ball glued to his feet, which is extremely useful for breaking down defensive lines.

He's unpredictable, aggressive and endlessly creative, seemingly unburdened by fear even when under intense pressure. It's still very early days, but there is no reason why Robinho Jr can't go on to emulate, or even surpass, his father.

To do that, though, there are several areas in which Robinho Jr must improve, including with his final product. He's not decisive enough with his passing or shooting, and has a tendency to hold onto the ball for too long. There's no doubting his composure and skill, but he can be guilty of picking the wrong option or running down blind alleys.

Robinho Jr does not yet have a full understanding of defensive tactics, either. He can be a liability in the transitional phase and lacks the physical strength to knock opponents off the ball. That being said, he does have boundless energy that could help him transform into a very effective pressing player, should he get the right coaching in the coming years.

No one has ever been the full package at 18, and Robinho Jr is still very much a raw talent, but the fundamentals are all there, and he is motivated to keep getting better, which is half the battle.

Comparisons to his father are never going to go away, not just because of their family link, but also the fact that 'Juninho' has almost the exact same playing style. Robinho Sr lined up on the left in his prime, but was also two-footed enough to play anywhere across the frontline, and had a similarly slim build, which he used to his advantage.

The former Madrid and Brazil star was an elusive dribbler with bags of creativity, which made him a nightmare for defenders. However, the general consensus is that he never fulfilled his potential, as he struggled for consistency and with physical intensity, particularly after leaving the Bernabeu.

Neymar is a better example for Robinho Jr to follow if he wants to reach the top and stay there. He's in a privileged position working with the Santos icon every day, and must make the most of it. Injuries have ravaged Neymar over the last six years or so, and he's well past his best at 34, but he proved last season that the magic in his boots has not entirely gone.

It was his breath-taking flair that made Neymar a breakout star, but he added awareness and ruthlessness to his game to become one of the best in the world. At Barcelona and in his early years at Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar was an elite goalscorer and playmaker who was nigh impossible to pin down. Robinho Jr's decision-making is the biggest flaw in his game at the moment, and there is no better player than Neymar to help him improve it.

Robinho Jr would be best served by remaining at Santos for another year or two, soaking up as much as possible from Neymar and adapting to the rigorous demands of senior football. However, a host of clubs are prepared to try and tempt the Brazilian away from his homeland this year.

Indeed, Inter expressed an interest in signing Robinho Jr during the winter transfer window after sending scouts to watch him play, according to ESPN. Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea are also reportedly tracking the Santos wonderkid, with it possible that a bidding war could erupt when the market opens in the summer.

Santos have no desire to sell, though, and it's unlikely that any of those interested clubs will meet his mega release clause given his lack of experience. Robinho Jr needs to earn his stripes before chasing a dream transfer.

It helps that he has support from his older team-mates, and not just Neymar. Veteran Santos centre-back Willian Arao attempted to temper expectations around Robinho Jr in an interview with Globo Esporte last month: "He needs to grow a little. Mature in some aspects, get to know the game better, the timing. You can see that he's a boy with a lot of quality, a boy who listens. He just needs to control the game more. But he has the full capacity to gel with Neymar and Gabigol [Gabriel Barbosa], and create great things. I believe this year will be very good for him because of how dedicated he's been in training."

That mentality will take Robinho Jr far. This is only the beginning of what could be a special career journey; he just has to remain patient and make the most of every opportunity he gets.