Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves wants to stay at Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon despite reported interest from Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool, his agent has told Antena 1, via A Bola.
If Wolverhampton Wanderers could turn back the clock to July 2019, you’d imagine they would make a different decision regarding the future of a promising young midfielder who, at the time, had played only one game in senior football.
Because, two years on, Pedro Goncalves is blossoming into one of Europe’s finest number tens.
Alongside Joao Palhinha and the supposedly Emirates-bound Tiago Tomas, the diminutive 22-year-old fired Sporting to their first Primeira Liga title in two decades, notching a remarkable 23 goals along the way.
And, before you ask, the so-called ‘new Bruno Fernandes’ doesn’t take penalties either.
Arsenal eye former Wolves man Goncalves
In April, EuroSport reported Arsenal have considered Goncalves as they scour the market for potential Martin Odegaard replacements, while Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are also weighing up whether or not to trigger the release clause in his contract (Sky).
After signing a new deal at Sporting, Goncalves is reported to be valued at about £55 million.
But even if Liverpool or Arsenal are willing to pay such a fee, a man better known as Pote isn’t going to turn his back on a club preparing to play Champions League football for the first time since 2017.
“He is a Sporting player and his will is to continue (at the Estadio Jose Alvalade). He wants to play Champions League football with Sporting,” says agent Jorge Pires.
Goncalves opting for Sporting rather than Liverpool
“How many more years (will he stay)? It’s difficult to answer. He will stay as long as possible.”
Perhaps after failing to force his way into Nuno Espirito Santo’s plans at Wolves, Pote has been put off the idea of a second spell on English soil?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
