Have done 2 more reports over the past few days - a 19 year old Argentinian CB (https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/valentin-gomez/profil/spieler/985383) and a 19 year old Polish striker (https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/szymon-wlodarczyk/profil/spieler/554282). Still don't have Statsbomb access sadly so will wait until I have that back before posting them up so they're consistent with the others. However I will say I was hugely hugely impressed with Gomez and he was one of the most confident ball-carrying CBs I've ever seen and is absolutely destined for a top top side Will also start doing positions in order as realised i've done a disproportionate amount of some positions compared to others. So with Gomez done, i'll then do a RB, LB, CM, Winger, Striker in that order!
Official now, fee of €4m. Bargain and imagine he'll only be there a year or so before joining one of the European CFG teams.
Brighton signing Ayari from AIK in Sweden for €6m. Was on my list to do very soon (although my to do list is currently 194 players long!) and have heard very good things, his data was v good as well. Hopefully can get a few pickups of our own with the new scouting team!
Surprised a few of the players in this thread are still at their respective clubs. Fabricio Diaz is one of the main ones (https://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/scouting-thread.59642/#post-3169240). Really shouldn't be too expensive to get him out of Uruguay, he only turned 20 last week and has already started in 87 league games, he's captaining Uruguay U20 at the Sudamericano U20 tournament that's happening at the moment and is having a great tournament that's seen him score 5 goals from central midfield (ok 3 were pens but still...) Dario Osorio is another (https://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/scouting-thread.59642/page-2#post-3175155). Saw him linked with a whole bunch of clubs in January from Arsenal and Newcastle, to a couple of Italian clubs (including Udinese) to even a newly promoted side in the Brazilian top flight, yet still he remains in Chile for some reason. Still awaiting Statsbomb access to be restored to post the reports i've done since I last posted, but the list of players awaiting to be posted are: Szymon Wlodarczyk - 20 year old striker at Gornik Zabrze Valentin Gomez - 19 year old CB at Velez Sarsfield Jakub Lewicki - 17 year old LB at Jagiellonia Bialystok Tomas Jacob - 18 year old RB at Newells Old Boys Johan Torres - 18 year old CM at Santa Fe Daniel Rivera - 21 year old winger at Millonarios Matija Frigan - 19 year old striker at HNK Rijeka Mika Marmol - 21 year old CB at FC Andorra Helder Sa - 20 year old LB at Vitoria Guimaraes Adis Jasic - 19 year old RB at Wolfsberger Santiago Silva - 18 year old CM at Danubio
I have Statsbomb access back again! Rather than spending ages today posting all the reports I've done, I'll instead drip-feed them. Name: Szymon Wlodarczyk Club: Gornik Zabrzek Nationality: Polish Position: ST Birthday: 5/1/2003 (20) Height: 189cm (6”2) Foot: Right Estimated cost: €4m Contract: 30th June 2025 Date: 6/1/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/szymon-wlodarczyk/profil/spieler/554282 Tactical role + team details: Gornik Zabrze are a typically mid-table team in the top division in Poland, finishing 10th (out of 16) in 20/21, 8th (out of 18) in 21/22 and are currently 12th (out of 18). They typically either use a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation with Woldarczyk used either as the central striker or as the right winger. He joined Gornik Zabrze on a free transfer in the summer of 2022 from Legia Warsaw, where he has been part of their academy since the age of 14. He has scored 7 goals in 818 minutes this season. He has been capped at every age group from U15 to U21 level for Poland. Attacking Phase: Looked to be a good, confident finisher who demonstrated good technique and accuracy in his shooting ability with both feet, with a lot of calmly taken shots on the counter attack, however there were occasions when a team-mate was better placed than the location he chose to shoot from. Showed good variety in his play - frequently holding the ball up and playing in a teammate before turning and attacking space. Was comfortable dribbling at opponents when afforded lots of space but struggled in tight spaces. Build Up Phase: Frequently dropped into midfield to receive the ball, showed a good first touch and whilst mostly kept his passes simple (often playing out to the wing) sometimes demonstrated some nice give and goes Defensive Phase: Really put in a good shift defensively, covered a lot of ground, read the game well and pressed with intensity, although was quite clumsy and often too physical when tackling which gave away a lot of silly fouls. Physical: Looked to be very strong, with the opponents defenders frequently getting tight and jostling, showed good strength to hold them off. Quick and showed good agility for his size. Not great in the air. Coachable Aspects to Improve: Shot locations. Hold up and link up play was generally good but could still do with some work Limitations: Possibly too system reliant. Aerially poor. Next Step: An odd one - he was a good finisher when he got himself into good positions, but he rarely did that and focused a lot on dropping deep and helping with link-up play in which he was pretty decent at. But that means in order to flourish he'd really need to rely on the system suiting him and I'm not sure where that would fit him in. I think Holland could be a good next step and I can see him maybe being a good fit for a Italian or German in the future but there's a good amount to work on before that in my opinion. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Valentin Gomez Club: Velez Sarsfield Nationality: Argentinian/Spanish Position: CB Birthday: 26/6/2003 (19) Height: 181cm (5”11) Foot: Left Contract: 31/12/2024 Estimated cost: €7-9m Date: 6/1/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/valentin-gomez/profil/spieler/985383 Tactical role + team details: Velez Sarsfield are typically one of the better sides in Argentina, having spent 78 consecutive seasons in the top tier, however had a poor season in 2022 finishing 26th out of 28. They finished 5th in 2021 and 3rd in 2020. They most frequently play a 4-2-3-1 formation with Gomez primarily used as the left-sided centre-back. The 2022 season was his first with the first team, but he established himself as a regular with 25 league starts and 10 starts in the Copa Libertadores where they reached the semi finals. He joined the Velez academy at 10 years old and has progressed up to the first team. He has been capped this season for Argentina U20 team. Attacking Phase: Had a good number of shots from attacking set-pieces. Often found himself venturing into the final third with the ball taking on opponents with his quick feet which would create a huge amount of space down the flanks for his team-mates. Demonstrated good decision making and passing accuracy in the final third and knew when to release the ball. Showed good crossing ability particularly from deep positions, looked to have the skill-set to potentially play left-back if needed. Dribbling ability was fantastic, great close control and turns shown. Build Up Phase: Really good range of passing shown - his long range passing was accurate, with his team regularly playing kick-offs back to him to play a long diagonal ball forward. Frequently moved over to the left-hand flank to allow the full-back to push high, where he mostly played the ball down the line or back to the other CB. Would frequently carry the ball forward which he combined well with his progressive passing into midfield, although frequency of these passes could be improved. Had very quick feet and was exceptional in tight spaces. Dealt well with being pressed, sometimes playing his way out of danger and other times taking no risks and going long or putting the ball out of play, but his decision making as to what to attempt was good. Defensive Phase: Mostly good reading of the game but there were a few lapses in judgement that caused him some issues when recovering that resulted in some silly fouls and a fair few cards (0.33 yellow cards and 0.07 red cards p90). Strong tackler who liked going to ground in his tackles, most were well timed but again some had a tendency to be a bit rash. Physical: Impressive pace and was frequently able to outpace opponents, even when he was on the ball. Was confident in attacking the ball aerially from offensive set-pieces but didn’t look particularly good in the air in open play. Very agile and quick on the turn. Good but not exceptional strength shown. Limitations: Aerially poor (defensively). Coachable Aspects To Improve: Few more progressive passes into the midfield could be a good addition to his game to compliment his ball-carrying. Defensive work could do with some improvement, but would be perfect for a back 3. Decision making when defending. Next Step: What an interesting player - his ball carrying ability is sensational for a CB although I have some question marks over his defensive ability (the radars below are somewhat misleading), but I have no doubts that he'll end up at a top top side. A high possession based side where defensive ability comes 2nd to on the ball ability is likely. Man City, Ajax, Barcelona would all be ideal places for him to head to next or potentially even a side like Brighton could be a good move also. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Jakub Lewicki Club: Jagiellonia Bialystok Nationality: Polish Position: LB/LWB Birthday: 17/9/2005 (17) Height: 182cm (6”0) Foot: Left Contract: 30/6/2025 Estimated cost: €3-4m Date: 10/1/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jakub-lewicki/profil/spieler/929423 Tactical role + team details: Jagiellonia Bialystok are a lower midtable team in the Ekstraklasa, finishing 9th in 20/21 (out of 16), 12th in 21/22 (out of 18) and are currently 13th (out of 18 teams) in 22/23. They most typically play a 3-4-3 or 5-4-1 formation with Lewicki most commonly used as the left wing-back. He has played almost 700 minutes in the league this season with 1 goal. He is a product of the Jagiellonia Bialystok academy and has been capped for the U17, U18 and U19 teams for Poland. Attacking Phase: Looked good at being able to find and create space for himself in the final third. Crosses into the penalty area tended to be low and driven and put into good areas although crosses in the air were often overhit and lacked accuracy. Lacked creativity when linking up with teammates in the final third. Good power and accuracy when shooting. Good technique, quick feet and close control when dribbling was able to beat opponents 1 vs 1 or create space for himself to cross the ball. Attacking skill-set could see him converted to be an effective winger. Build Up Phase: Demonstrated some nice turns to create some space for himself when pressed, but often struggled with his decision making and passing when pressed by multiple players. Showed good vision to see when a viable long-range pass was on, but his execution was poor. Defensive Phase: Took up a defensive stance to try and force wingers down the line, but felt this left him too open to dribbles on the inside. Defended with good intensity, was eager to track back and wasn’t afraid to put in a challenge. Liked to stay on his feet, rarely committing to a slide tackle. Pressed well with good recovery runs Physical: Really good agility shown with lots of quick tight turns. Showed good pace, especially with lots of space to run into. Despite his height he was poor in the air and went into aerial duels very halfhearted. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Crossing ability. Link-up play in the final third. Playing in tight spaces. Long-range passing. Lacks confidence in aerial duels. Defending against dribblers. Next Step: Still very raw but he only celebrated his 17th birthday 6 months ago. Could be turned into an effective winger in the right system. One to monitor in a years time to see how he’s developing, but not ready for a move yet imo. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Tomas Jacob Club: Newells Old Boys Nationality: Argentinian Position: RB Birthday: 20/4/2004 (18) Height: 180cm (5”11) Foot: Right Contract: 31/12/25 Estimated cost: €6m-€7m Date: 16/1/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tomas-jacob/profil/spieler/950131 Tactical role + team details: Newells Old Boys are a typically midtable team in the top division in Argentina, finishing 11th (out of 28) in the 2022 season, 19th (out of 26) in the 2021 season. They typically play a 4-2-3-1 formation with Jacob used as a right-back, he played 1102 league minutes in the 2022 season (with 1 assist) and 335 minutes in the 2021 season. Attacking Phase: Took a lot of crosses, crossing ability was mixed with his crossing from deep being hit with good power and accuracy, but his crosses from nearer the penalty area were often snatched and would send the ball too high up in the air to be useful. Overall I felt he lacked a bit of effectiveness in the final third - he looked clumsy on the ball when trying to dribble and often lacked ideas in 1 vs 1 situations. Heavy touch frequently caused turnovers. Build Up Phase: Frequently attempted long balls down the channels or to the forward but these were often aimless and ended up losing the ball. Struggled when pressed, often playing balls down the line on the turn when passing to the goalkeeper or another teammate was the better option, overall decision making when on the ball needs some work. Defensive Phase: Pressed well with good desire and intensity. Liked to go to ground a lot when tackling, these were frequently well timed and often won the ball back. Was impressive in 1 vs 1s, took up a good stance which combined with his tackling ability meant he wasn’t often bypassed. Positioning was good, always looked to be in the right place at the right time. Physical: Agility and pace looked to be average, looked to have an awkward running style that looked clumsy. Good strength shown, was able to hold off most opponents. Looked good in the air but wasn’t exceptional. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Crossing from advanced positions. Playing under pressure, look at retaining the ball instead of always going long when under pressure. Limitations: Running style looked awkward which might cause issues long-term. Next Step: Needs a lot of work before a move. Was good defensively but lacked a lot of effectiveness in the final third, but has potential. Will need check again in a years time. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Johan Torres Club: Santa Fe Nationality: Colombia Position: DM/CM Birthday: 7/9/2004 (18) Height: Unknown Foot: Right Contract: Unknown Estimated cost: €3m Date: 17/1/2023 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jhojan-torres/profil/spieler/1045952 Tactical role + team details: Santa Fe are an upper mid-table side in the top division in Colombia, they finished 6th (out of 20) in the 2022 season, 8th in the 2021 season and were runners up in 2020. They most frequently played a 4-2-3-1 formation last season with Torres deployed as one of the holding midfielders. He has been capped for the Colombian U20 team. Attacking Phase: Didn’t attempt too much in the final third. Showed some turns and change of pace when dribbling with good awareness of opponents. Had good power in his shooting, especially from long range. Didn’t demonstrate much playmaking in the final third other than playing a large amount of long balls to the forwards, which were played with good power and accuracy. Did show willingness to go forward with some surging runs towards the penalty arena but needs to develop this side of his game. Build Up Phase: Mostly played it safe in possession, took up good positions and angles to receive the ball but would often ball watch after playing a pass or make a run towards an opponent which would mean he wasn’t an option to receive the ball again. Showed good ability in tight spaces, and was able to deal with being pressed either playing a safe pass or attempting turns to get away with a good success rate. Defensive Phase: Hugely impressive defensive play shown. Fantastic intensity and speed shown in his pressing ability, often travelling long distances to press, although I did feel he lacked a bit of effectiveness in winning the ball in these situations. Was often drawn to the ball instead of taking up a tactical defensive position but with his pace and desire to win the ball this wasn’t always a bad thing. Physical: Really good pace and agility shown. Very impressive engine and stamina shown. Could improve on his strength but wasn’t weak. Didn’t want to challenge for many aerial duels and had a poor win rate when he did. Limitations: Aerially poor. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Develop attacking play (dribbling, playmaking) more. Showing for the ball after playing a pass. Defensive effectiveness. Next Step: Still pretty raw in a lot of aspects of his game but he reminded me of Kante when he was first breaking through at Leicester but without the application. A pressing machine, if he can build on his technical ability and the end product of his defensive work then he’ll be a player in demand. One to monitor Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Daniel Felipe Ruiz Rivera Club: Millonarios Nationality: Colombia Position: LW Birthday: 30/7/2001 (21) Height: 171cm (5”7) Foot: Left Contract: 31/12/24 Estimated cost: €3m-4m Date: 18/1/2023 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniel-ruiz-rivera/profil/spieler/650833 Tactical role + team details: Millonarios are one of the top teams in Colombia, winning the top flight league in 2022, finishing 2nd in 2021 and 10th in 2020. They most frequently play a 4-2-3-1 formation with Rivera most frequently used as the left-winger. Rivera joined Millonarios from Fortaleza CEIF in the Colombian 2nd division in January 2022 after a successful loan spell during 2021. He achieved 5 goals (one every 794 mins) and 5 assists (one every 794 mins). He has been capped for Colombia U20. Attacking Phase: Takes a lot of shots, has a powerful shot and likes to shoot from range which lead to some spectacular goals from the edge of the area, although sometimes took shots from bad positions when teammates were better placed. Showed good confidence in shooting with both feet. Took penalties (scoring 4 from 6 taken), mixed his penalty strategy with some being placed and others being hit with power. Played a lot of creative passes with good technique and weight that demonstrated impressive vision. Attempted a lot of dribbles and attempted a lot of skill moves (stepovers etc) but overall I felt he lacked effectiveness and explosiveness when on the ball. Took a lot of crosses but felt they lacked power and height. Build Up Phase: Liked to come deeper or to the more central areas to receive the ball and was eager to adjust his position to receive the ball, showing good movement between the various lines. Good, quick sharp passer of the ball and demonstrated good vision and speed of thought. Good power and accuracy with both feet in his long-range passing. Demonstrated good scanning ability and ability to play in tight spaces. Due to his attributes he could be better off played centrally as an attacking midfielder. Defensive Phase: Despite his light build he was eager to get involved defensively with a very high and aggressive press shown, although he struggled to win the ball in these situations. Was often drawn to the ball instead of choosing to cut off passing lanes. Physical: Good agility shown but overall felt he was poor physically, he wasn’t quick, lacked strength and was poor in the air. Limitations: Physical attributes are unlikely to be improve. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Shooting locations and improved decision making around shooting. Defensive work needed. Next Step: Liked a lot of his skillset but reckon his ceiling is limited due to his physical attributes, has since moved to Santos in Brazil on a loan (with option to buy) which I think is a good move for his current level (I thought he'd end up in Brazil or the MLS next!), intrigued to see how he gets on. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Matija Frigan Club: HNK Rijeka Nationality: Croatian Position: CF Birthday: 11/2/2003 (19) Height: 185cm (6”1) Foot: Left Contract: 15/6/2025 Estimated cost: €3-4m Date: 20/1/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matija-frigan/profil/spieler/840149 Tactical role + team details: Rijeka are typically one of the top teams in Croatia, finishing 3rd in 20/21 (out of 10), 4th in 21/22 (out of 10) although are struggling this season, finding themselves in 8th at the halfway point of the season. They most typically play a 3-5-2 formation although have also used a 4-2-31 quite frequently, Frigan is most commonly used as a striker and has 3 goals and 0 assists in 611 minutes in the league this season. He is a product of the Rijeka academy and has been capped for Croatia at U18, U19 and U21 levels. Attacking Phase: Good power in his shots but felt he lacked good accuracy and placement failing to get a number of good chances anywhere near the target. Really impressive movement and intelligent, well timed runs made in the final third, often playing off the shoulder of the last defender. Demonstrated good link up play with team-mates, showed some nice flicks and first time balls around the penalty area, although didn’t do as well when he dropped deep to receive. Struggled to beat defenders when 1 vs 1. Build Up Phase: Good range of passing shown, liked to play long chipped balls out to the flanks with good power and accuracy. Didn’t attempt to get involved in the middle third too often (only attempting 16 passes per 90 mins) preferring to stay forward and occupy defenders, had good distribution in the final third though. Defensive Phase: Showed good intensity and desire at pressing from the front, would press the centre-backs at speed and was effective at forcing a pass, although didn't seem to win the ball much. When defending deep he took up good defensive positions and showed intelligence in his defensive play such as cutting out passing lanes etc. Physical: Good pace and agility shown. Was disappointing in the air - was eager to challenge but didn’t have a good leap or strength in the air to have much of an impact. Looked to be of average strength, was able to hold his own and didn’t look overly lightweight but wasn’t dominant. Limitations: Aerially poor. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Accuracy in front of goal. Link up play with the midfield. Next Step: An all rounder who also doesn’t really excel at anything in particular. His movement was great but he lacked ability in front of goal. If he can work on that and hit a hot-streak of goals (has since scored 4 goals in 6 games since I wrote this) I imagine a few teams will be interested in him. Bundesliga could be a good fit. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Mika Marmol Club: FC Andorra Nationality: Spanish Position: CB Birthday: 1/7/2001 (21) Height: 182cm (6”0) Foot: Left Contract: 30/6/24 Estimated cost: €2m-3m Date: 24/1/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mika-marmol/profil/spieler/617060 Tactical role + team details: FC Andorra are a newly promoted team, getting promoted to the Spanish Segunda after back to back promotions. They most frequently play a 4-3-3 formation with Marmol used as the left-sided centre-back, although he has also spent a bit of time at left-back this season. Marmol joined Barcelona's academy at 6 years old, before leaving 2 years later. He then spent time at 2 local academies before rejoining Barcelonas academy in 2018 where he made 62 league appearances for Barcelona B, before joining FC Andorra in August 2022. He has been capped for Spain U19 and U20. Attacking Phase: Very confident ball carrier, frequently liked to dribble the ball into midfield (and beyond), demonstrated great technique on the ball along with good changes of direction and decision making to retain possession when carrying the ball up the pitch. Crossing ability was a mixed bag, but was often put into a good location with good power and technique on the cross. Created several shooting chances for himself after his attacking runs up the pitch that were long-range shots hit with fantastic technique and power. Build Up Phase: Demonstrated an impressive passing range - long balls to either flank were well timed and with good accuracy to feet ahead of his team-mates runs that helped with the flow and tempo of attacks. Scanned frequently and often looked for a progressive pass whenever he could and showed good timing and decision making of when to play them. Was calm and collected on the ball when put under pressure, with good decision making and ability to play his way out of danger. Defensive Phase: Liked to stay on his feet when defending but was far too hesitant in attempting to tackle which lead to him really struggling in defensive 1 vs 1s and was frequently bypassed by opponents. Good awareness to danger and would position himself well, just lacked confidence and ability in tackling. Physical: Very agile. Looked pacey and was able to stop and start quickly with a burst of pace that he used to take himself away from opponents. Lacked belief in his aerial ability and didn’t look convincing at all - would often not jump and instead tried to pressure his opponent from behind. Was strong enough to hold off his opponent 1 vs 1 but didn’t demonstrate much in the way of strength. Limitations: Aerially very poor. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Defensive ability needs a lot of work. Next Step: Hard to say really. Was very good on the ball with both passing and progressing the ball huge strengths. But he’s very very poor defensively which ultimately limits the amount of teams who'll want a CB of his skillset. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Yes he's an adept sweeper, distributor and a fierce competitor. He'll be away from Velez this summer. Would not be surprised to see someone like Atalanta, Bologna or a club of that ilk take him on. Reminds me of Romero. Amione is doing a solid job at struggling Sampdoria while Perez has been getting better and better for Udinese. Should be playing against Spezia today.
Atalanta would definitely be a fun choice for him, not sure his defensive ability is good enough currently for most other Serie A teams to take a punt on, but Atalanta don't care much about defending so that could be a shout!
He does make one or two poor decisions each game and also with the u20 in their recent disaster under the incompetent Mascherano but the basics are very good. Hoping he'll sprout just like Romero.
Name: Helder Sa Club: Vitoria Guimaraes Nationality: Portuguese Position: Left-Back Birthday: 10/11/2002 (20) Height: 187cm (6”2) Foot: Left Contract: 30/6/2025 Estimated cost: €3m-€5m Date: 27/1/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/helder-sa/profil/spieler/549013 Tactical role + team details: Vitoria Guimaraes are one of the best sides in Portugal outside of the big 4. They finished 6th in 21/22, 7th in 20/21 and are currently 7th in the league. They typically play a 4-3-3 formation with Sa used as a left-back. He joined Vitoria Guimaraes aged 12 and has worked his way through their academy to the first team. His first team league debut came in the 20/21 season where he played 119 minutes across 2 games. In 21/22 he played 497 league mins for the first team and has played 770 minutes so far this season. He has been capped by Portugal at U18 and U20 levels. Attacking Phase: Good striker of the ball with good power and accuracy in his shots, was confident shooting with both feet but lacked power in his right footed shots. Liked to frequently take a lot of crosses, was capable of crossing from deep or from the by-line. Crosses were played with good pace and accuracy and were generally put into good locations. Was able to cross well with both feet, and was good at creating space for himself to get the cross in. Was comfortable dribbling the ball but was far from a skilled dribbler and lacked ideas to beat his opponent 1 vs 1. Took up good positions and angles on the overlap to receive the ball and join in with attacks. Build Up Phase: Liked to try and make things happen in possession, would frequently try to carry or progress the ball rather than playing it safe. Took up good positions to receive the ball, often wide by the touchline. Liked to play give and go’s to bypass the opposition press. Was calm in possession with good decision making shown. Defensive Phase: Felt he lacked a lot of awareness in the defensive phase and was slow to react to some situations. Looked weak against dribblers and was often afraid to put a foot in and attempt a tackle. Was often left isolated with little defensive help from his nearest centre-back or winger, could be a good option as a left-wing back to cover some of his defensive flaws. Physical: Looked slow on the turn, agility possibly an issue. Pace was alright but wouldn’t call him quick. Aerial ability was adequate but far from dominant. Limitations: Lacks power in weaker foot. Physical attributes could be an issue in some systems. (pace/agility etc) Coachable Aspects To Improve: Defensive awareness. Defensive 1 vs 1 situations. Next Step: Was good in attack but felt his defensive weaknesses and physical attributes let him down. Hard to see him moving to a better league for a while. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Adis Jasic Club: Wolfsberger Nationality: Austrian Position: RB Birthday: 12/2/2003 (19) Height: 178cm (5”10) Foot: Right Contract: 30/6/25 Estimated cost: €6-7m Date: 31/1/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/adis-jasic/profil/spieler/531214 Tactical role + team details: Wolfsberger are typically a mid-table team in the Austrian Bundesliga. They finished 5th in 20/21, 3rd in 19/20 and are currently 9th (out of 12). This season they have most most frequently used a 3-5-2 formation with Jasic most commonly used as the right wing-back, although at times has been used as the left wing-back. Jasic joined the Wolfsberger academy aged 13 and has worked his way through the academy and the second team to the first team. He has been capped at U16, U17, U18, U19 and U21 levels for Austria. Attacking Phase: Liked to play a lot of crosses, his choice of type of cross to play was good but the execution was often lacking, with a lot of crosses being blocked or overhit, however his crossing ability from deeper positions was dangerous and often landed in good locations. Has taken a lot of set-pieces (direct + indirect free kicks and corners) this season. Took a good amount of shots when playing left wing-back where he was able to cut inside onto his preferred right foot, he shot with good power and technique but most were long-range shots and lacked accuracy although didn’t have as many chances when playing right wing-back. Showed good dribbling ability and was able to create space for himself with some good changes of pace and quick turn of direction. Build Up Phase: Dealt with being put under pressure relatively well, mostly either playing it safe, playing a chipped ball into the centre of the pitch or attempting a ball down the line, although this is an area of his game that could be improved. Passing range was a bit limited, rarely tried long range diagonal balls with most long passes played down the line with mixed success. Defensive Phase: Liked to stay on his feet when defending 1 vs 1, would get very tight and generally pressed well and with good intensity although sometimes would leave his man to go and press which would leave the team exposed on the flanks. Closing of passing lanes could be improved. Was switched on to runners and initial potential danger and was aggressive in trying to shut out danger. Physical: Demonstrated good agility. Aerial ability was good although was far from dominant in the air. Pace was good enough defensively but wouldn’t describe him as being quick. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Crossing ability needs work. Ability to play under pressure and in tight spaces. Long range passing and vision could be improved. Defensive awareness Next Step: A well balanced player although didn’t feel he was exceptional. Could suit the high tempo nature of the Bundesliga. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Santiago Silva Club: Danubio Nationality: Uruguyan Position: CM Birthday: 20/8/2004 (18) Height: 181cm (5”11) Foot: Right Contract: 31/12/23 Estimated cost: €200k-€300k (summer, free in January) Date: 5/2/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/santiago-silva/profil/spieler/898318 Tactical role + team details: Danubio are a recently promoted team in the Uruguayan Primeira that have had mixed fortunes in recent years, finishing 8th in the 2022 season and winning promotion in the 2021 season after getting relegated from the Primeira in the 2020 season. They most frequently played a 3-5-2 in 2022 with Silva most frequently used as the right central midfielder. The 2022 was his first season in the Danubio first team, he played 36% of the available minutes and scored 1 goal and got 1 assist. He is a product of the Danubio academy and has been capped at U20 level for Uruguay. Attacking Phase: Wasn’t afraid to shoot, although his decision making around shooting was poor, often shooting when getting closed down when laying the ball off would’ve been the better decision. Didn’t attempt many creative passes (through passes/key passes etc) to the forwards. Attempted a lot of dribbles and carries but was frequently ineffective and lacked ideas and timing to beat an opponent 1 vs 1. Build Up Phase: His long-range passing when distributing to the flanks was very good, with near perfect power and accuracy shown when switching the ball. Often kept it simple when on the ball, playing a simple sideways or backwards pass. Felt he could’ve taken up better possessions to receive the ball Showed some quick feet in the middle of the pitch to create space and evade pressure and generally dealt well with being pressed most of the time, although did struggle against more intense pressure. Defensive Phase: Pressed and hassled opponents well and with good intensity although really struggled in defensive 1 vs 1s against quick changes of direction and speed. Liked to stay on his feet and try to put a foot in rather than attempting a sliding tackle to win the ball. Would frequently give away silly fouls, although was able to escape getting a card for them. Overall felt he was poor defensively with a lot of work needed in this area of the game. Physical: Average pace, agility, strength and aerial ability shown. Limitations: Physical attributes aren’t outstanding. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Shooting ability - both power and his decision making on when to shoot need work. Work on progressing the ball more, both with progressive passes and carries. Defensive ability in 1 vs 1s. Next Step: Miles off a move currently in my opinion. Lots to work on, although he did recently turn 18. One to check back on in a year or so. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Joao Grimaldo Club: Sporting Cristal Nationality: Peruvian Position: LW Birthday: 20/2/03 (19) Height: 175cm (5”9) Foot: Right Contract: 31/12/23 Estimated cost: €300k in the summer Date: 11/2/23 Tactical role + team details: Sporting Cristal are one of the top teams in Peru, they were the losing finalists in the league in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons but won the league in 2020. They typically play a 433 or 4231 formation with Grimaldo most frequently used on the left-wing but has also been sometimes used on the right. Grimaldo joined Sporting Cristal aged 13 and has worked his way through to the first team where he has made 24 starts in the league (42 appearances total) over the 2021 + 2022 seasons. He has been capped at both U17 and U20 level for Peru, making his U20 debut aged just 17. He scored 4 goals and got 3 assists in 1326 minutes in the 2022 season. Attacking Phase: Was a confident finisher with a big range of shots attempted (through the keepers legs, chips, shots from range), was capable of creating shots for himself from difficult positions by using his quick feet and his dribbling ability. His dribbling ability is his biggest strength, he was able to change pace and direction quickly and had quick feet and good technique and close control that allowed him to bypass opponents when 1 vs 1. Didn’t play too many creative passes (through passes etc) to team-mates but wasn’t selfish around the penalty area and would pass to teammates in a better position. Attempted a lot of crosses, didn’t look comfortable crossing on his left foot so would cut inside and would try to curl a ball to the back-post, power and accuracy were good in these types of crosses but a teammate often failed to get on the end of them.. Build Up Phase: Good range of passing shown, with his long range passing in particular being a strong point - although he rarely used this, preferring to keep it simple in possession. Showed good link-up play with the midfield, often liking to play a short pass and making a run down the line. Was capable of playing in tight spaces, either getting out of trouble with his dribbling ability or keeping it simple and playing the way he’s facing. Defensive Phase: Worked very hard defensively, pressed aggressively and closed down passing lanes well. Was a strong transition player, would often look to launch a quick counter attack after winning the ball back. Was a strong tackler and liked going to ground to win the ball. Very good defensively 1 vs 1. Physical: Stocky build but still showed exceptional agility and good pace. Showed good aerial ability for his height and had a good leap and desire to challenge for the ball in the air Limitations: Height limits his overall impact in the air . Coachable Aspects To Improve: Playmaking ability. Could attempt more long passes/switches of play. Next Step: A fringe European league (Portugal/Belgium) or a move to Brazil or the MLS will all be good moves for him to develop further. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Abiel Osorio Club: Velez Sarsfield Nationality: Argentinian Position: CF Birthday: 13/6/2002 (20) Height: 182cm (6”0) Foot: Right Contract: 31/12/24 Estimated cost: €10m-€12m Date: 14/2/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/abiel-osorio/profil/spieler/991773 Tactical role + team details: Velez Sarsfield are typically one of the better sides in Argentina, having spent 78 consecutive seasons in the top tier, however had a poor season in 2022 finishing 26th out of 28. They finished 5th in 2021 and 3rd in 2020. They most frequently play a 4-2-3-1 formation with Osorio typically used as the lone striker. The 2022 season was his first with the first team, where he scored 6 goals and got 1 assist in 1544 minutes (38% of available minutes), he also played 198 minutes in the Copa Libertadores, scoring 1 goal. Osorio joined the Velez academy at 15 years old and has worked his way up to the first team. Attacking Phase: Shooting looks to be the first thought in his mind - he takes a lot of shots including a large amount of shots from outside the area in silly locations where he had no chance of scoring and teammates were better positioned, although does possess a very powerful shot. Liked to hold the ball up with his back to goal, before turning the defender and dribbling. Looked comfortable dribbling but didn’t have many ideas to beat an opponent 1 vs 1 apart from using his physical attributes. Showed good movement in the final third, liked to attempt runs in behind the defence and would gamble on the defence making passes back to the goalkeeper - which lead to him intercepting and creating a couple of chances for himself. Build Up Phase: Would sometimes drop deep to look for the ball, but overall wouldn’t get too involved in the build-up play, instead keeping his position up top. Sometimes attempted to play team-mates in with through passes but his struggled to gauge the right weight and power of pass. Didn’t attempt many varieties of pass (such as long range passes), mostly keeping it simple in possession. When put under pressure whilst dropping deep he’d often just play a return pass the way he’s facing. Defensive Phase: Pressed with ferocious desire and intensity that helped cause a lot of opposition mistakes and turnovers, even leading to a couple of goals. Was often too focused on the ball rather than cutting off passing lanes. Preferred to stay on his feet when trying to win the ball rather than diving into tackles. Physical: Very powerful runner with good speed. Showed very good strength, was able to hold the ball up well. Often struggled to turn quickly. Confident in the air with a good jump, was able to win flicks from goalkicks with a decent success rate Coachable Aspects To Improve: Shot locations and playmaking around the penalty area needs work. General link up play needs improvement for a bigger league. More defensive awareness. Next Step: Was a bit frustrating in front of goal - if he can work on that and his link up play then Europe will be calling, but for now he has a lot of work to do. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Ariel Mosor Club: Piast Gliwice Nationality: Polish Position: CB Birthday: 19/2/2003 (20) Height: 183cm (6”0) Foot: Right Contract: 30/6/24 Estimated cost: €3m-€4m Date: 22/2/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ariel-mosor/profil/spieler/554288 Tactical role + team details: Piast Gliwice are typically a top half side in the Polish Ekstraklasa, finishing 5th (out of 18) and 6th (out of 16) in 20/21, although they are having a bad season and a currently 16th out of 18. They typically either play a 4231 or 442 formation with Mosor most typically used as the right sided centre back. Mosor joined Piast Gliwice in June 2021 from Legia Warsaw, where he’d worked his way up from the academy (which he joined at 15) to the fringes of the first team - although he only played 70 league minutes for Legia Warsaw. He’s now played over 3500 minutes across 2 seasons for Piast Gliwice and has been capped at U15-U21 levels for Poland. Attacking Phase: Demonstrated good crossing ability with good technique, power and accuracy. Didn’t pose much of a threat from set-pieces, instead taking most of his shots from the floor from the 2nd or 3rd phase after a set-piece. Build Up Phase: Was comfortable carrying the ball out from the back, often using a nice little change of speed to evade the press. Attempted a lot of long balls to the forwards, these balls generally had good power and technique on and landed in the right areas but ultimately lacked accuracy. Was intelligent on the ball, consistently making right decisions on when to play a “safe” ball and when to risk progressing the ball. Could’ve been a bit more eager to take up a better position to receive the ball though. Dealt well with being pressed, although sometimes went long when pressed when there was a better option free. Defensive Phase: Generally defended well in 1 vs 1s, although looked weak against changes of direction. Preferred to stay on his feet when tackling, rarely making slide tackles. Would get very tight to opponents. Was very proactive when defending, with good awareness to potential danger and showed good anticipation in travelling to cut it out and getting tight to an opponent in space. Physical: Good pace and agility in possession (struggled turning quickly defensively), with a low centre of gravity. Was comfortable in the air against most opposition, although did struggle against targetmen. Showed good strength in most situations. Limitations: Defensive agility could be an issue. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Long range passing ability needs work. Positioning himself to receive the ball better. Awareness of team-mates when pressed. Next Step: The last couple of CBs looked at were exceptional on the ball but had big question marks over their defensive ability. Mosor was more balanced, could easily fit into a mid-table squad for most of the top 4 leagues with no real issues. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Layan Loor Club: Universidad Catolica Nationality: Ecuadorian Position: LB/LWB Birthday: 23/5/2001 (21) Height: 180cm (5”11) Foot: Left Contract: N/A Estimated cost: €2.5m-€3m Date: 22/2/23 Tactical role + team details: Universidad Catolica are one the better team in Ecuador, finishing 2nd in the aggregate table for the 2022 season, 3rd in the aggregate table in 2021 and 4th in 2020. They typically played a 4-3-3 system in the 2022 season with Loor usually deployed a left-back. Loor joined the Universidad Catolica U20 side aged 18 back in 2019 and spent 2 years on loan at Liga Pro Serie B side America De Quito before moving up to the Universidad Catolica first team for the 2022 season. He played 2394 minutes in the league during the 2022 season scoring 2 goals and getting 3 assists. Attacking Phase: Often struggled to get much power behind his shots and his long-range shots lacked accuracy, although he did look comfortable shooting with either foot. Was eager to join in any attacks, often playing quite an advanced position up the pitch. Attempted a lot of crosses although accuracy was mixed - when he had time to pick a cross out his crossing was good, but he would often have his head down before attempting most crosses which affected his ability to pick out a team-mate. Was an effective dribbler, demonstrated quick feet and a good change of pace and direction although his first touch was sometimes a bit heavy Build Up Phase: Had good vision in picking out good passing options that weren’t obvious passes. Showed good accuracy with long diagonal balls but struggled with accuracy when playing long-balls down the channels to the forwards. Took up good positions to receive when the opposition pressed and looked very capable of playing in tight spaces Defensive Phase: Didn’t often go to ground when tackling and was often ineffective when he did, although also often didn’t attempt to make a tackle when standing his opponent up either. Often looked a bit indecisive on whether just to delay the opponent or to attempt to make a tackle. Put in lots of effort defensively, despite the relatively poor application and had good awareness to danger. Physical: Was quick enough to keep up with most opposition wingers on the ball and had a nice change of pace but wouldn’t say he was exceptionally quick. Agility was mixed. Didn’t look particularly strong. Was average in the air, didn’t have a bad amount of success for his height, but I felt he didn’t have a great jump. Limitations: Physical attributes could let him down. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Crossing ability. Tackling ability and defensive decision making needs a good amount of work. Long-passing ability Next Step: Could be a good option for a MLS or Brazilian Serie A side but feel his overall ceiling is limited. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
I'm sure they get millions of such emails, but do you send these to WFC or anyone else ? Seems such a waste to just sit here on this thread without anyone acting on the info. At least the recipient will know you have a name and some credibility in the scouting/coaching world vs other armchair wannabes ?
I get updates about the recruitment needs for teams I work for so I send on the reports on players I really like that I know that could be a good fit to how we play, are within the price-range and in a position we need (or could upgrade if the price is really good). For instance I really liked Alexis Manyoma in Colombia (https://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/scouting-thread.59642/page-2#post-3183155), he can play on the wing or as an attacking midfielder. At the time there was a lot of interest in one of our wingers so the search was on for a potential replacement. Manyoma puts in a real shift defensively (our winger does no defensive work at all), is creative (our winger is horrendously selfish) whilst possessing most of the positive attributes of our winger. His only downside is at 5"6 he lacks height, but our winger is only 5"7 so we're not really losing anything there. His team in Colombia also got relegated so I knew he'd be available cheaply. It all seemed to fit so I sent my report over to the Chief Scout, who then also took a look at him. He liked him as well and said they'd contact the club in Colombia to find out what they were asking and potential wage demands etc....just for him to join one of the top teams in Colombia literally the next day. Not really sure what happened after that though as the transfer seems to have been voided (despite being officially announced) for reasons that I've not been able to find out so he's stuck in the Colombian 2nd division until the summer (he's since scored 2 goals in 3 games along with 1 goal and 2 assists for Colombia U20 in the recent U20 championship). Told the Chief Scout this so we might follow up in the summer but remains to be seen. But yeah, bit pointless sending them over if there's no requirement for a player in that position or massively out the price range etc!
Name: Jeyson Rojas Club: Colo Colo Nationality: Chilean Position: RB Birthday: 23/1/2002 (21) Height: 185cm (6”1) Foot: Right Contract: N/A Estimated cost: €2m Date: 24/2/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jeyson-rojas/profil/spieler/749052 Tactical role + team details: Colo Colo are one of Chiles top teams - winning the league in 2022 and finishing 2nd in 2021 and are regulars in the Copa Libertadores. They typically played a 4231 formation with Rojas used primarily as a right-back. Rojas joined Colo Colo as a 13 year old and has progressed through the academy to the first team. He made his debut as 19 year old in the 2020 season, starting 13 games that season, before starting 16 games in the 2021 season. He only started 6 games in the 2022 season (injured?) but has started all 4 games of the 2023 season so far. He has been capped 4 times for the Chilean national team as well as being capped for their U23 team. Attacking Phase: Didn’t take many shots, with most of his shots coming from the edge of the penalty area after a corner - had good power, accuracy and technique in his shots from range. Showed good creativity and vision in the final third, attempting a good amount of through balls for a full-back although they didn’t often find a teammate. His attacking positioning was good and he was often eager to create the overlap where he’d cross the ball. His crossing ability close to the penalty area was good with crosses landing in good areas although his crosses from deeper areas were often over-hit. Was comfortable and effective when dribbling the ball and showed good variation in his runs, often bringing the ball inside rather than just staying out wide and making runs down the line. Build Up Phase: Had a limited passing range - his short range and playmaking ability on the floor was good, but he didn’t attempt many diagonal long balls, with most of his long balls being down the channel to a forward (with mixed ability). Was very capable under pressure and in tight spaces with good control and the ability to play accurate first time passes and flicks, could definitely play in a more technical league. Defensive Phase: Defensive positioning was generally good and he looked relatively solid when defending 1 vs 1, although was sometimes guilty of over-committing when pressing which left him vulnerable against quick changes of direction and pace. Was occasionally outmuscled when going shoulder to shoulder with opponents. Not afraid to go to ground when tackling, with a good success rate to match. Was overall solid defensively. Physical: Slight build meant he was often outmuscled. Didn’t look the sharpest when turning quickly. Had a good turn and change of pace both on and off that was a good asset. Was good enough in the air but his aerial ability was neither a strength nor a weakness. Limitations: Physical attributes not the greatest but shouldn’t be a massive factor in his development, but does but a slight cap on his ceiling. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Long range passing. Crossing accuracy. Next Step: Technically above most players in the league so is well suited to a move to a better league. I could see one of the bigger Belgian teams or a team in the Portugal being a good fit for his skillset. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Diego Gomez Club: Libertad Nationality: Paraguayan Position: CM Birthday: 27/3/2003 (19) Height: 185cm (6”1) Foot: Right Contract: N/A Estimated cost: €4-5m Date: 24/2/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/diego-gomez/profil/spieler/996897 Tactical role + team details: Libertad are one of the top teams in Paraguay, being crowned joint champions in 2022 and 2021, finishing 3rd in 2020. They typically played a 442 or 433 formation in the 2022 season with Gomez used as a central midfielder. He has been in the Libertad academy since he was 12 years old and has progressed to the first team and won “revelation of the season” in the league in 2022. He captained Paraguay U20 at the 2023 Conmebol U20 tournament and has been capped twice for the senior Paraguayan national team. Attacking Phase: Always looked to try and make things happen in the final third, liked to play a lot of high risk creative passes to the forward and whilst his vision in attempting the passes was good the accuracy of these passes wasn’t great, although this could be down to his team-mates not reading his intelligent passes early enough. He created 2.16 xGA from open play in the 2022 season with 0 assists. Liked to take a lot of shots, mostly from range - accuracy was poor but shots had good power and technique. Really good dribbling ability and demonstrated a nice use of skills, feints and quick turns to beat his opponents and create space for himself when 1 vs 1. Set-piece taker with decent but not exceptional delivery. Build Up Phase: Frequently got his head up and played long balls to the forwards when receiving the ball deep although his accuracy left a lot to be desired. Took up good positions to receive and always wanted the ball. His dribbling ability and short passing ability meant he was more than capable of playing of playing in tight space and playing his way out of danger. Defensive Phase: Really puts in a good defensive shift, works hard and presses with good intensity and forces a lot of errors. Liked to stay on his feet when tackling and was an effective ball winner. Defensive positioning was good. Showed good maturity in his all round defensive play. Physical: Fantastic agility and turning ability, good in the air. Looked to have decent strength and pace. Overall good, solid physical attributes. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Shooting locations. Final ball. Next Step: As you can see from his radars below he possesses a very interesting skillset. He could do with calming down and not always looking for an ambitious ball forward but he’s definitely the sort of player that excites and looks to make things happen. Absolutely dominated Andrey Santos (who’s just joined Chelsea for £15m) in the recent South American U20 Championships. Could suit the B team of a big side, or an immediate move to Brazil/MLS as the next stage in his development. But there’s a lot of potential here. I don't normally put such a big range between the current and the potential levels, but the generally poor quality of the Paraguayan league makes it hard to gauge where he's currently at. I think his next move will be important, if he makes a move to a better league and impresses there as well then he won't be there long. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Brian Gutierrez Club: Chicago Fire Nationality: American Position: LW/RW Birthday: 17/6/2003 (19) Height: 178cm (5”10) Foot: Right Contract: 31/12/26 Estimated cost: €6m-7m Date: 1/3/23 Tactical role + team details: Chicago Fire are typically one of the worst sides in MLS, finishing outside the playoffs in the last 3 seasons. Last season they typically played a 4-2-3-1 formation with Gutierrez played 54% of available minutes. He was typically played as a left-winger (22% of available minutes played) but was also used as a right winger (12%) and attacking midfielder (13%), scoring 2 goals and getting 5 assists in 1829 minutes in 2022. He joined the Chicago Fire Academy at 12 years old and has worked his way through to the first team. He made his debut in the 2020 season, with the upcoming 2023 season being his 3rd season being involved with the first team. He has been capped at youth level for the United States, including 7 caps (2 goals) for the USA U20 side. Attacking Phase: Had a lot of confidence in his finishing ability inside the penalty area, although the actual execution was sometimes poor, but the movement, power and technique in his finishing is there - just needs to work a little bit on his accuracy a little bit. Was an effective playmaker around the penalty area, frequently created chances and showed good vision with a good amount of through balls and creative passes to the other forwards. Crosses in the air were poor and lacked accuracy. Had the raw attributes to be an effective dribbler - quick feet, good agility and close control but ultimately lacked end product. Was noticeable he always tried to shift the ball to his right foot and lacked confidence in his weak foot. Build Up Phase: Vertical long range passing ability was good, but struggled for accuracy and consistency (despite good power) when playing diagonal long balls. Showed good link up play with his team-mates, took up good positions to receive and made good decisions around his passing. Dealt well with playing in tight spaces and was able to play his way out of trouble. Defensive Phase: Wasn’t afraid to go to ground when tackling, his tackles were well timed and effective. Generally pressed well but his intensity and effectiveness was inconsistent. General off the ball defensive work needed improvement. Physical: Pace and agility were strengths but was poor in the air and sometimes lacked strength. Limitations: Very one-footed. Aerially poor. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Accuracy in his shooting. Crossing ability. Work on his weak foot. End product when dribbling. Next Step: His minutes played has crept up season after season, establishing himself firmly as a key player for Chicago Fire for the 2023 season will be his main priority. I think he might be able to become a top MLS player, but there’s a lot for him to work on to move to a top European league. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Jovan Markovic Club: Universitatea Craiova Nationality: Romanian/Serbian Position: CF Birthday: 23/3/01 (21) Height: 183cm (6”0) Foot: Right Contract: 30/6/24 Estimated cost: €3m-€4m Date: 3/3/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jovan-markovi*/profil/spieler/418235 Tactical role + team details: Universitatea Craiova are one of the best teams in Romania, finishing 3rd in the 21/22 season, 3rd in the 20/21 season and 2nd in the 19/20 season. They have most frequently used a 4-2-3-1 system so far this season (with Markovic deployed as the lone striker), although have used a 3-5-2 system at times. Markovic was part of the Universitatea Craiova academy and worked his way up to the first team, making his first team league debut at 16 years old. Now aged 21 he has played in 97 top flight games in Romania (43 starts, 3992 mins) scoring 21 goals. He has 3 caps for Romania, as well as having played for their U17, U19 and U21 teams. Attacking Phase: Good range of finishes used (chips, shots from range, headers, 1 vs 1s etc) although I felt that wasn’t a superb finisher - although he did possess quick feet in the penalty area and was very good at creating chances for himself with good control and twists/turns. Possessed good, but not exceptional dribbling ability, again mostly relying on quick changes of direction. Was quite selfish in the final third, didn’t look to play many passes in for team-mates. Build Up Phase: Frequently made himself available in the build up, taking up good positions to receive and interacting well with the midfield. Played some nice passes and flicks to play in team-mates, which is a surprise as he didn’t show that in the final third - but at least he has the ability to play these passes, so just needs the motivation to be less selfish in the final third drilled into him. Defensive Phase: Pressed well and with good intensity when he chose to, but these moments were few and far between and could definitely be improved. Was comfortably making slide tackles but these were often very rash and dangerous. Physical: Showed good agility and strength. I felt he lacked pace though, which was especially noticeable when on the ball. Was pretty average in the air and didn’t offer much of an aerial threat. Limitations: Lacked pace Coachable Aspects To Improve: Playmaking ability. Defensive effort. Next Step: Hard one to gauge, there’s a decent player in there but I think his ceiling is limited. I can see him staying in Romania until his contract expires, then wouldn’t be surprised to see a team from Belgium or Netherlands taking him on a free transfer. Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
Name: Leopold Querfeld Club: Rapid Wien Nationality: Austrian Position: CB Birthday: 20/12/2003 (19) Height: 190cm (6”3) Foot: Right Contract: 30/6/2025 Estimated cost: €5-6m Date: 3/3/23 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leopold-querfeld/profil/spieler/597432 Tactical role + team details: Rapid Wien are one of the better teams in the Austrian Bundesliga, finishing 5th in the 21/22 season, 2nd in the 20/21 season and 2nd in the 19/20 season. Querfeld joined the Rapid Wien academy at age 9 and spent 2 seasons at Rapid Wien II, he played 308 minutes in the Bundesliga last season (whilst playing for Rapid Wien II as well), this is his breakout season though and has currently played 1437 league minutes this season scoring 1 goal. Rapid Wien typically play a 4231 formation with Querfeld used as the RCB. He has been capped for Austria at U18, U19 and U21 level. Attacking Phase: Was a big threat from set-pieces, won the ball well but just struggled a little bit for accuracy. Didn’t attempt to dribble much, but looked comfortable on the ball when he did. Build Up Phase: Played a lot of long-balls, power and technique was good with his diagonal balls and switches although lacked effectiveness when playing long balls to the strikers, other than that he kept things simple in possession, mostly playing the ball to the full-back or his defensive partner, would’ve liked him to play a bit more progressively. Remained calm and made good decisions when under pressure, often kept things simple when pressed but was able to play in tight spaces. Defensive Phase: Didn’t mind going to ground when tackling, tackles were well timed and effective. Was impressive defensively, took up good defensive positions and his timing of when to commit was brilliant. Sometimes struggled against quick feet and quick changes of direction. Mostly stayed in position, although on a few occasions did press aggressively into midfield when he sensed danger, with good effectiveness. Positioning was a big strength, always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Physical: Was good in the air (but not dominant) and showed very good strength. Did feel he lacked pace and his agility wasn’t the greatest. Limitations: Pace and agility. Coachable Aspects To Improve: Attempt to carry and play a bit more progressively. Next Step: I really liked him defensively, could be a bit better on the ball and did lack pace which might ultimately limit his ceiling. Probably most suited to a move to the German Bundesliga or maybe Ligue 1 Current Level: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful Potential: 10 - Champions League level player 9 - Top Half PL player 8 - PL player 7 - Top half player in Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 6 - Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue 1 Player 5 - Top Championship player 4 - Championship player 3 - League 1 player 2 - League 2 player 1 - Awful
