Borussia Dortmund's Reinier: "I don't want to be a second Kaka; I want to be Reinier!"
Brazilian youth international Reinier has vowed to make a name for himself in the Bundesliga after joining Borussia Dortmund on a two-year loan deal from Real Madrid this summer.
Having only joined Real in January from Brazilian side Flamengo, Reinier began life in Spain with the club's second team before his progress was halted by injury.
Now following in the footsteps of another former Madrid loanee in Achraf Hakimi, the 18-year-old has his eyes set on heavily developing as both a player and a person while at Dortmund.
"When the option to join BVB came about, we didn't need to think twice," Reinier told Dortmund's club website. "BVB have a reputation for developing players. When this option came up, we knew that it would be the right one.
"I want to grow as a player and learn new things. I'd also like to continue my personal development and learn English and German. It's important for my life going forward. I want to be successful with the club, win titles if possible, and bring the fans a lot of joy."
The attacking midfielder – who can play in any position across the pitch behind a striker – will become the 11th Brazilian to play for Dortmund in the Bundesliga. He follows the likes of Marcio Amoroso, Tinga, and Dede, who he says are all big names among Brazilian fans back home.
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Another Brazilian connection Reinier has is with a player who never graced the Bundesliga: Kaka. The new Dortmund boy has been compared to the former AC Milan and Madrid midfielder for his elegance and passing ability, but Reinier is planning on making a name for himself with Die Schwarzgelben.
"That [being compared to Kaka] doesn't bring me any pressure," Reinier said. "I want to show my football. Of course, it's a great thing to be compared with a player like that. But I want to show what kind of football player I am.
"Kaka is a player that I would like to model myself on. But I don't want to be a second Kaka; I want to be Reinier," the teenager added. "I like to play quickly, with short passes and one-twos. I like to help my teammates, to get them in good shooting positions or to have a go at goal myself."
Reinier could make his competitive debut for Dortmund against MSV Duisburg in the DFB Cup first round on 14 September.
The new Bundesliga season then gets underway with BVB playing host to Borussia Mönchengladbach on 19 September in a blockbuster opening Saturday evening fixture of the 2020/21 season.
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