Benfica in race for 'Ecuador's Haaland', Porto also want striker | OneFootball

Benfica and Porto are closely monitoring the progress of Juan Riquelme Angulo, a young striker from Independiente del Valle who is beginning to attract interest in the European market. At just 18 years old, the Ecuadorian centre-forward is already being tipped as one of the game’s rising talents and, because of his physical and technical traits, has even been nicknamed the “Haaland of Ecuador”.

According to information reported by 'As', the two Portuguese clubs are following the player’s development closely, although the competition is expected to make any attempt to sign him difficult. The footballer is also said to have come onto the radar of Barcelona and Manchester United.

The striker has impressed in Ecuadorian football not only because of his physical presence — 1.93 metres tall, combining power with speed — but also because of his technical quality and explosive ability in the final third. Developed entirely at Independiente del Valle, he made his first-team debut in March by scoring the winning goal against Mushuc Runa Sporting Club, in a match in which he came off the bench near the end.

Since then, the attacker has been steadily cementing his place in the first team and has six caps for Ecuador’s youth national teams. With his market value on the rise and several giants keeping watch, the player’s future promises to heat up over the coming months.

This season, playing for Independiente del Valle, Juan Riquelme Angulo — valued at €350,000 — has made 10 appearances: six in the Ecuadorian league, three in the Copa Libertadores and one in the Super Cup. . Meanwhile, Dion Beljo is also of interest to the Eagles.

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