Aston Villa scouted Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves this weekend and will do so again on Thursday as they consider bringing the former Wolves starlet back to the Premier League from Sporting Lisbon, according to Record.
Portimonense is one thing. Arsenal is another, altogether greater challenge.
Sporting, Portuguese champions in 2021, will become the latest in a long line of teams attempting to stop Mikel Arteta’s winning machine in it’s tracks on Thursday night; a place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League up for grabs.
Goncalves will be one of the first names on Ruben Amorim’s team sheet against the Gunners; the so-called ‘new Bruno Fernandes’ Sporting’s leading source of creativity and goals from midfield. His tally of 16 goals and eight assists this term are numbers Manchester United’s number eight himself would be proud of.
Aston Villa, Record say, were in the stands as ‘Pote’ set up the winner during Sporting’s 1-0 win at Portimonense on Saturday. Arsenal, however, will be a far greater test of his talents. Get the better of Thomas Partey, William Saliba and co, and Goncalves’ rumoured £70 million price-tag will no longer look quite so excessive.
Aston Villa eye former Wolves starlet Pedro ‘Pote’ Goncalves
Whether Aston Villa would be willing to part with such an eye-watering fee, only time will tell. Unai Emery wants more attacking thrust deeper areas, and has the backing of some of the Premier League’s richest and most-ambitious owners. Still, Aston Villa will have reservations about spending £70 million on a single player at a time when reinforcements are also required elsewhere.
There is also a chance that Sporting will sell Goncalves for far less than the reported price-tag. Fernandes joined Manchester United for £47 million back in 2020. That was despite many publications suggesting he would cost closer to £80 million at the time.
Goncalves, meanwhile, may feel he has unfinished business in England. He was let go by Aston Villa’s Midland neighbours Wolves before ever making his debut in Old Gold.
“He’s an absolute diamond,” former Wolves youth coach Rob Edwards (now of Luton Town) tells Sky Sports. “He is a brilliant young man. Wow, he is doing great. I am so proud of him and so pleased for him.”
“What he has gone on to do since, all credit to him. He’s worked really hard for it and he deserves everything that he gets. He has the right attitude. He is brave.”
“Someone like Pedro who is technically brilliant, really gifted, a mistake will not faze him. The biggest thing when you are working with top talents is that you never need to motivate them. They do it every day.
“He will have a phenomenal career.”
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