William Gomes’ metamorphosis: far more than just a livewire at FC Porto | OneFootball

There is a new William Gomes at the Dragão. After a season of attacking explosion, in which he helped make up for Samu’s absence, the 20-year-old winger now appears as a more complete player, without losing his ability to unbalance defenders, his trademark cut inside, and his signature goals. In Francesco Farioli’s strategy, defensive commitment has gained importance, especially through his ability to “jump on top of” opponents.

William Gomes no longer lives solely off the magic in his feet. The Brazilian has become a key piece for FC Porto, to the point of having “moved” his friend Pepê to the opposite flank, and he has added to his natural talent an off-the-ball work rate that helps define the team’s collective identity.

The change begins with the high press, one of Francesco Farioli’s hallmarks. William uses his pace and a physical capacity he had not yet shown in this way to close down space, disrupt the opposition’s build-up, and smother the ball out from the back in the final third.

The winger has thus gone from being an attacking spark to the first piece in a defensive mechanism. He still looks for the moment capable of lifting the stadium, but now he does so without disconnecting from the team’s collective demands.

The league numbers give concrete expression to the transformation. William has 15 tackles, more than the two starting centre-backs, Bednarek and Kiwior, combined, who have a total of 13.

A large part of these recoveries come in advanced areas, paving the way for quick and dangerous transitions against unbalanced defensive structures. The player of spectacular moments has also become an engine of intensity, showing how talent can gain another dimension when it is placed at the service of the team.

In the clássico against Benfica, that side of his game stood out especially clearly. William took on the role that Samu used to perform in the past: he hounded opponents, forced mistakes, and finished the match with four ball recoveries, one interception, and one clearance.

One of the moments that stayed in the minds of the fans showed the extent of that commitment. With the score still goalless, the winger covered dozens of metres back to his own box to stop Prestianni from getting a shot away.

More than an isolated act, the play summed up the Brazilian’s transformation. His ability to create danger remains intact, but it is now accompanied by a willingness to chase, recover, and protect the team.

His physical condition reinforces that reading. Near the end of the first half, William reached a speed of 36.8 kilometres per hour to intercept a pass from Circati and came close to beating Samuel Soares.

The peak came with almost 45 minutes already in his legs and helps explain the excellent physical moment of Francesco Farioli’s team. It is also a reflection of the work carried out over a very demanding pre-season.

The sporting progress is matched by the player’s growing value. CIES assigned William Gomes a market value of 50.3 million euros, placing him as the seventh most valuable footballer in the Portuguese league.

With a contract until 2029 and an 80-million-euro release clause, the winger is protected at the Dragão. Even so, the club’s board is considering presenting him with a new offer soon, seeking to adjust his salary to the level of performance he has shown.

At the same time, the possibility of acquiring the 20 percent of the economic rights that still belong to São Paulo is being evaluated. The aim is to increase the size of any potential future financial return.

Last summer, there were several enquiries from Spanish, Italian, and English clubs, but none turned into a concrete offer. At the end of the season, the picture may be different: the more complete William Gomes becomes, the harder it will be to ignore his impact.

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