Scouting report on Renato Nhaga, Casa Pia’s rising midfield star | OneFootball

Since Casa Pia’s promotion to the Primeira Liga back in 2021/22 season, the Gansos (Geese) have built a reputation for smart scouting and recruitment, which has given the club financial stability. Players like Nuno Moreira and Beni have moved on in recent seasons underlining Casa Pia’s ability to recruit, improve and sell talent.

Renato Nhaga represents a slightly different success story. Unlike those recent departures, he is the first player in this cycle to progress from the U-17s to the first team.

Renato Nhaga, arrived in Portugal at 16 years of age from Guinea-Bissau, and the first time he tried to stay in the youth academy of Casa Pia he was unsuccessful. However, after a second trial, he joined the U-17s where he played 34 games and scored once. The following season, in the U-19s he featured in 27 games and scored again one goal. The standout moment that season was when João Pereira, the former Casa Pia Manager, called him up for the first team in a match versus Estoril.

Now an established first-team starter, Nhaga has made 21 appearances this season, scoring two goals, including his first senior goal at Estádio da Luz in a 2-2 draw.

Renato Nhaga is already a full Guinea-Bissau international having played a total of 6 games after his debut back in June 2025.

Tactical role and playing style

Under new manager Álvaro Pacheco, Casa Pia plays in a 4-2-3-1. Renato Nhaga plays in the midfield duo, with either Sebastián Pérez or Rafael Brito as his partner. Renato is the player with more freedom to develop the game of the Casapianos.

Naturally comfortable on the ball, he favours driving forward through carries but is equally effective when using his passing range to switch play, often doing so with a good success rate.

Defensively, his role is to either try and press high up the pitch, if centre-forward Cassiano starts this pressing, or in deeper phases, he positions himself centrally, coordinating with his midfield partner to either cover advancing full-backs or protect the space in front of the centre-backs, where his main task is to disrupt and intercept progressive opposition passes.

Strengths

Renato Nhaga’s standout attributes in possession are his passing range and composure. He is effective over both short and long distances, recording an average pass success rate of 78%, an impressive figure in a side that has struggled collectively this season.

In attacking phases, he plays a key role in connecting Casa Pia’s game, showing good judgement in deciding when to accelerate play through ball progression, when to switch the point of attack, and when to slow the tempo by drawing fouls. Remarkably, he ranks fifth in the league for fouls suffered.

Another area where Nhaga stands out, especially for an 18-year-old, is his constant readiness for the next action. His body orientation and awareness consistently allow him to react quickly to the demands of the game.

Defensively, he shows strong game-reading ability and intelligent positioning, often recovering possession before danger develops. This is reflected statistically, as he ranks ninth in the league for ball recoveries, with 23.

Physically, Nhaga is quick both in possession and when covering ground defensively, enabling him to press opponents effectively and recover space at speed.

Points to improve

At just 18 years old, there are naturally areas of his game that can still develop. In the final third, Nhaga can become more decisive and threatening, whether by timing more runs into the opposition box or by showing greater patience in advanced areas, where he sometimes goes for quick decisions.

That said, it is important to contextualise this within Casa Pia’s season as a whole. The team spends limited time in attacking zones, which restricts his opportunities to influence play close to goal.

Physically, improving his strength in duels would also enhance his game. However, it is important to note that he does not shy away from contact.

Conclusion

In summary, Casa Pia is currently holding one of the most exciting young prospects in the Primeira Liga. With continued development, Renato Nhaga is likely to attract significant interest ahead of the summer of 2026.

Given his profile and playing style, all three of Portugal’s traditional top clubs would see value in his skills, while the two Minho rivals are also likely to be monitoring his situation closely. With a contract running until 2028, Casa Pia is well positioned to profit financially, and a summer sale appears increasingly plausible.

Transfermarkt currently values Nhaga at 1 million euros, but Casa Pia would almost certainly demand a higher fee to part ways with their young star.