Wolves manager Bruno Lage has given his thoughts on £3m January signing Chiquinho, asserting that he’s one for the future who can also ‘help now’ [Wolves.co.uk].
Wolves plucked Chiquinho from the Portuguese top flight midway through the winter transfer window.
It was reported that they paid an initial fee in the region of £3m to bring him to Molineux from G. D Estoril Praia, the club at which he made his breakthrough at senior level.
The 22-year-old’s career stats aren’t anything to marvel at.
He scored six goals and notched eight assists in 44 appearances across all competitions for Estoril.
However, he’s got plenty of natural talent and pace and the idea is that, with the right coaching, eventually, he could become something special.
Lage has made it clear, though, that he isn’t expecting Chiquinho to make the same level of contribution as Adama Traore did prior to his loan move to Barcelona.
At least, not initially.
Lage drops verdict on £3m Wolves signing Chiquinho
“It’s a player that the club followed the last year and he’s a good player,” said the Wolves boss [Wolves.co.uk]. “He can help now but he’s more for the future. He was doing well in Portugal and the club asked my opinion and decided to bring him now.”
“Every time what we want is to give the chance to them to train with top players, in this environment, and then after the chance to play in the Premier League. It depends on the way they adapt and work.”
“He needs to adapt. I cannot ask, with one week of work, him to do the same things Adama [Traore] was doing, especially in the last month. He helped the team a lot. I can’t ask the same things of Chiquinho but he’s there.”
It’s a good move from Lage to take the pressure off the January signing, and he went on to big up Academy player Chem Campbell, who he says has the ‘same profile’.
Chiquinho is yet to make his senior Wanderers debut, but he was on the bench for their Premier League win at Brentford on 22 January and he got a run out for the U23s two days later.
The Portuguese played 60 minutes against Sunderland in a PL 2 Div 2 clash and Campbell scored both goals in a 2-1 win.
With an FA Cup clash against Norwich City coming up later today, it’ll be interesting to see if he’s handed a maiden opportunity either from the start or as a substitute.
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