Former Wolves defender Marcal believes Botafogo team-mate Jeffinho is far too good for his old employers with Premier League duo Newcastle and West Ham United taking an interest, speaking to Resenha Com TF.
Marcal, at Molineux, shared a dressing room with Adama Traore and Pedro Neto. He played alongside Goncalo Guedes and former Portugal international Pizzi at Benfica. Then there was Bertrand Traore, Maxwel Cornet and Memphis Depay at Lyon.
So when the veteran defender says Jeffinho may be the finest winger he has ever been able to call a team-mate, these are claims that should not be taken with a pinch of salt.
“The kid is a star. I played for 12 years in Europe, almost 13. (In that time) I played with many good players, but I don’t remember ever having played alongside a winger with his quality,” Marcal exclaims. “I think he has all the ability to play in Europe. He’s not a player for Wolves, he’s a player for Lyon.
“We’ll see. Maybe he’ll get there and explode. He’s not afraid, he’s smart and he knows how to play.”
Newcastle United and West Ham like Jeffinho of Botafogo
There is no suggestion, at this stage anway, that Wolves are interested in the rather humorously-titled Jeffinho (yes, we’re aware it sounds like the sort of name you’d ironically bestow upon the least-gifted member of your Sunday league team). Both Newcastle and West Ham did, however, scout the 22-year-old in a Brazilian league game recently, however (Mercado de Futebol).
Blessed with explosive pace, a fierce shot from range and the ability to bamboozle opposition defenders with a rapid body swerve, Jeffinho appears to be a forward in the Marcus Rashford mould. He also contributed seven assists and four goals to the Botafogo cause last term.
And Marcal cannot see why Jeffinho did not take home the Brazilian top-flight’s ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award; Palmeiras wonderkid Endrick eventually claiming the prize despite featuring in just a handful of games.
“These are those moments when you start to doubt whether things in Brazil are really real; if they are sincere,” an unimpressed Marcal muses.
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