Player Profile

Bastos is a fantastic talent and a superb dead-ball striker and there are no doubts about his ability to go forward but, as he is normally employed by his club side Lyon as a winger or attacking midfielder, there are concerns over how he may adapt to his defensive responsibilities.

Signed by Lyon last summer as a replacement for Juninho Pernambucano, he had big shoes to fill, given his compatriot’s ability to score from set pieces. His first season for Les Gones has been a success, though, and he has more than justified his £15.4m transfer fee with 15 goals.

He made his Brazil debut in a friendly against England in November last year, fulfilling a childhood dream: “That's almost impossible to describe… I started when I was 13. It was my dream to become a professional player and play for Brazil, and I've achieved it.”

He arrived in Europe as an 18-year-old to join Feyenoord, but his time in the Netherlands was not a success so he returned to Brazil for three years.

In 2006 he gave Europe another crack and signed for Lille. His 14 goals there in the 2008/09 season earned him a nomination for the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award. In February he scored a 21-minute hat-trick for Lyon against Sochaux.