Former Braga boss thrilled with Benfica signing: Gabriel Índio is a beast | OneFootball

Benfica is putting the finishing touches on the deal to secure the signing of Gabriel Índio, a 17-year-old centre-back from Athletic MG. The young Brazilian is seen as one of the biggest prospects of his generation and Rui Duarte, who coached the youngster at the Minas Gerais club, has warned about his physical power.

"We look at him and he’s a man, not a boy. He is a boy, but he’s a man, he’s a beast. He is very physically prepared... They will probably have to lock the gym for him, because he always wants more. If the others do one set, he wants to do two. His arms, his chest are something incredible and he always thinks he needs more. It’s unbelievable," he said in an interview with the newspaper 'Record'.

The former Braga coach further highlighted his qualities. "He is a left-footed centre-back, 1.90 metres tall. He is very physically strong, an animal, so to speak. No offence, but he really is a beast. He is quick, has above-average maturity, is quite aggressive and very focused," he stated.

Despite his young age, Rui Duarte believes Gabriel Índio was the best defender in the Minas Gerais state championship. "Since the state championship, he has been our best centre-back. I had no doubts about it. Obviously, that ended up placing a great deal of responsibility on his shoulders, because he was very young," he explained.

To conclude, the 47-year-old coach believes the young Brazilian will get minutes and stand out at Benfica. "The physical, technical and learning ability are all there. At a club like Benfica he will grow a lot and improve those aspects quickly," he concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.