Nigel de Jong has spoken highly about Arsenal and Tottenham transfer target Rafael Leao and how he is like a ‘wide receiver’ from the NFL.
The Portugal international, who came off the bench to score a brilliant curling effort during his side’s 6-1 win which knocked Switzerland out of the Qatar World Cup, has been dubbed ‘different’ to the rest of his international teammates.
The Euro 2016 winners have an array of attacking talent to pick from. The ball-carrying expertise of Bernardo Silva, the all-action playmaker Bruno Fernandes, one of the greats in Cristiano Ronaldo and the new kid on the block Goncalo Ramos.
But Leao has the capability of standing out from that crowd and he is a big reason why AC Milan secured Serie A title glory last season.
Former Netherlands international de Jong thinks the 23-year-old is Milan’s ‘star player’, and whilst he can’t get into Portugal’s XI, he still manages to have an impact from the bench, as he told ITV Sport.
“He’s so different than the majority of wingers and players that they have,” said de Jong. “I have been watching him at Milan and he is having a fantastic season, after becoming champion, mainly because he is their star player.
“At Portugal, it really takes time for him to get into the first XI. But when he comes on, then he makes an instant impact.
“Because of the size of him. He looks more like a wide receiver from American Football, rather than an actual winger. He is another threat this Portugal team has.”
TOTTENHAM AND ARSENAL’S INTEREST IN LEAO
It’s not just sleepless nights that Leao is forcing upon his opponents, but a torrid time when he is on the ball and out on the pitch with them, which has resulted in him producing some outstanding numbers.
During Milan’s title-winning season, he scored 11 goals and assisted ten, whilst he is already on track to smash that tally this term.
The all-action forward, who has admirers in north London duo Tottenham and Arsenal, has six goals and five assists to his name.
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