Abhranil Roy
Goncalo Manuel Ganchino Guedes: Scout Report
Goncalo Manuel Ganchino Guedes is a 19-year-old Portuguese right wing player who is currently plying his trade at Benfica, one of Portugal’s biggest clubs. Of late he has caught the attention of several top clubs, most notably, Real Madrid and Barcelona, but media outlets say he is close to joining Manchester United after Louis van Gaal sent his scouts to watch the young footballer in a Champions League game versus Galatasaray last month.
STRENGTHS:
The Benfica whizkid, in just a matter of months, has made his U21 debut with Portugal; played and scored in the Champions League; Found himself on first name terms with Cristiano Ronaldo; And has now earned a first senior cap after joining Fernando Santos’ squad late November. However, there are strong reasons behind this astronomical rise of his, as we shall see.
Guedes is someone who is extremely mature for his age, and 4 assists in only 8 games this season show that especially if you consider that he has had only 6 starts in the campaign. He has exceptional footballing awareness and knows how to take on and beat defenders, which is one thing the best wingers in the world all have. Besides, he also has a fantastic right foot, and is a powerful shooter of the ball, which has seen him net 8 goals in 34 games last season, and this season already has 3 goals in the Primeira Liga, while he also has a goal in the Champions League. The ability to take his chances in the box when given to him is something the teenager does very well. Being such an all-round player this early in his career is why Guedes has become such a highly touted prospect.
WEAKNESSES:
His lack of experience is something that will weigh heavily against him, and also the fact that having played in the Portuguese League, which is nowhere close to being as good as any of the best leagues in the world, so evidently he has a lot to learn. Despite playing in the Champions League, Guedes hasn’t done well in either of Benfica’s matches against Sporting CP, or against FC Porto. He may hold onto the ball too long, or just do something on the pitch that is unrealistic or unnecessary, as he did against Atletico when he tried to take a long shot from a bad angle that sailed high over the goalpost.
WILL IT WORK OUT?
Man Utd have always had a nac to work things out with young and talented players, and Guedes seems one promising prospect. With media tipping Goncalo to become the “next Cristiano Ronaldo“, this guy is definitely worth a shot.
