Bournemouth's Rayan gets surprise midfield role – Ancelotti tests youngster in new position

Ancelotti is testing Bournemouth's Rayan in a midfield role ahead of Brazil's friendly against Japan on Saturday, experimenting with the 19-year-old as an attacking midfielder.

Carlo Ancelotti has been experimenting with Bournemouth's Rayan in a new position during Brazil's training camp in Singapore. The 19-year-old, naturally an attacker, was moved into a central midfield role during Thursday's session, operating just behind Raphinha in a 4-3-3 formation alongside Bruno Guimarães and Andrey Santos.

Rayan wasn't deployed as a conventional midfielder but rather as an attacking midfielder with instructions to attack spaces and arrive in the penalty area. The session focused on attacking movements without opposition, allowing Ancelotti to assess whether the youngster can offer something in that deeper role as well as further forward.

Brazil face Japan on Saturday and Singapore on Tuesday. Rayan, who was a surprise inclusion in Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad, is determined to make the most of the opportunity. "The biggest lesson I took from the World Cup is to give my best in every game," he said in an interview with ESPN Brazil.

He also praised Ancelotti's approach of bringing younger players into the squad, believing it creates a winning mentality among the next generation.