The 4th Official
·20 May 2024
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Yahoo sportsThe 4th Official
·20 May 2024
In a recent print edition, Jornal de Notícias (via Sport Witness) mentioned that West Ham United are still showing interest in Sporting CP winger Pedro Goncalves. It has been revealed that the Hammers are set to compete with Aston Villa in the race to sign the Portuguese wide player this summer.
Goncalves has enjoyed a fine campaign at the Portuguese club as he has managed to put in a string of impressive displays for them in the final third. The Portuguese wing wizard has participated in 48 matches for Sporting CP this season, netting 18 goals and picking up 16 assists in various competitions.
The 25-year-old has been a reliable performer on the left wing based on his average of 2.8 shots, 2.0 key passes, 1.7 crosses and 0.9 dribbles per 90 minutes in Liga Portugal. He has even distributed the ball relatively well in the opposition half after completing 80.7% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Portuguese football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Portuguese club will run out in the summer of 2027 which could make it tough for the Hammers to get a deal done for him on the cheap in the upcoming transfer window.
TOPSHOT – Sporting’s Portuguese midfielder #8 Pedro Goncalves stares at the ball during the Portuguese league football match between Sporting CP and Portimonense SC at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on May 4, 2024. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
Goncalves is a decent dribbler with the ball at his feet and can create a few promising chances for others around him on the offensive end of the field. He can strike the ball with venom and accuracy from long range and has added a lot of goals and assists to his game this season. The Portuguese sensation mainly operates on the left wing but can also play as a right-sided wide player or in the number ten position if needed.
We can expect Goncalves to add more goals and creativity to West Ham‘s frontline. He has what it takes to nail down a regular starting place at the London Stadium in the coming seasons.
At 25, Goncalves’ prime years are ahead of him which makes him a worthy target for the Premier League club to consider this summer. He will even help the Hammers compete across all fronts over the next few years. Hence, West Ham should think about going all out to snap Goncalves up later this year.