When word got out that FC Porto wanted William Gomes for so many millions… | OneFootball

Six months after his transfer from São Paulo – for around nine million euros for 80% of his economic rights – William Gomes is finally beginning to establish himself in FC Porto’s main squad.

At just 19 years old, the forward started the season as a substitute, but took advantage of his compatriot Pepê’s injury to prove his worth: he scored two goals in two matches, contributed to the rout against Casa Pia (4-0), and was decisive in the victory over Sporting (1-2).

In statements to this Friday’s edition of the newspaper O Jogo, Luis Zubeldía – who coached William at the tricolor club – recalled that, when “he was just starting out, there was already a lot of talk about him, because of his speed and personality in facing individual duels, but what stood out the most was his connection with scoring goals.”

“I think he’s a player with high potential and, little by little, he’s becoming more and more offensively aggressive. But what will always define him is that goal-scoring ability, which can come from a shot into the top corner or through individual plays, with crosses for goals,” said Zubeldía.

“It’s very difficult to control the market, it’s something the clubs control. In the middle is the player and, when talk of a possible sale begins, it’s very complicated to manage the athlete, because he doesn’t understand that there might be a possibility of being a substitute,” he continued, referring to the process of leaving in January 2025.

“When it became known that FC Porto wanted to sign him for so many millions, imagine what it would be like to leave him on the bench. Then, questions arise about how his mind, his family, and even the fans would react. I know he left wanting more minutes, but I also know he would get more and more…,” he added.

“I knew those six months would be very tough”

In the same interview, the Argentine coach recalled the young prospect as someone who “asked a lot about how he should press and how he should position himself with the ball in certain areas of the pitch,” and pointed out as his “greatest virtue” the fact that he “always had the goal in his sights.”

To conclude, Zubeldía explained the difficulties of establishing himself in the second half of last season, under the command of Martín Anselmi: “I knew those six months would be very tough for him, for several reasons. The coach was also new and would be tempted to look for more experienced players. Then, William is not very expressive and, if you don’t follow him closely day by day, he can struggle mentally. This happens to everyone who wants to play and is away from their country.”

“Finally, you had to take into account the adaptation, getting to know the position where Anselmi would place him, to see what movements he would have to make, what he could generate, the speed of the league itself, his clashes with rivals. There was a whole context to assimilate all at once. He had no chance of finding his true level, which he has found this season, with [Francesco] Farioli,” he concluded.

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