Who is Pedro Goncalves? The Sporting sensation wanted by Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa

Martin Macdonald

Updated: 17 Mar 2024 17:49 GMT
4 min read

Pedro Goncalves, Sporting CP, 2023/24 — © IMAGO

The Portuguese top flight has produced some excellent players in recent years and Sporting CP's Pedro Goncalves could become the latest export to succeed on foreign shores.

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The attacking midfielder is regarded as one of Europe's top creative players and he has been heavily tipped for a big move away, much like Bruno Fernandes - his predecessor at Sporting.

Goncalves is wanted by multiple top clubs, but what kind of player is he?

What position does Pedro Goncalves play?

Goncalves usually plays as an attacking midfielder, although he can also be deployed as a left or right winger.

How good is Pedro Goncalves?

Goncalves has been an output machine since his move to Sporting CP.

He notched 28 goal contributions during his first season at the club, while that tally increased to 31 the following year and 35 in 2022-23. Goncalves is once again set to improve his goal and assist tally this campaign after another fantastic season.

The Portuguese attacker has flourished under Ruben Amorim, the man who decided to move him further up the pitch as the player was previously a deeper midfielder.

Goncalves is Sporting's primary creator and Viktor Gyokeres' form in Portugal is in no small part thanks to Goncalves' quality as an attacking midfielder.

In 2021, former Wolves number two Rui Silva outlined Goncalves' talents: "He stood out," he said.

"He had excellent ball possession. He was always able to make space, without missing a pass. And he had that ability to finish. That goal was already visible. He passed the ball into the goal, that ability is his. Innate.

"[Ruben] Amorim found the ideal position for him. There, ahead, with space, and close by when he went to Famalicao, I even told Joao Pedro Sousa [coach at the time] that he could play in a midfield with three. We never saw Pedro's ability to be in a midfield with two.

"He has the quality to take on another type of team in the future."

PEDRO GONCALVESSSSSS 🤯#UEL pic.twitter.com/x3rJAlNoBp
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 16, 2023

Interestingly, Goncalves spent two years at Wolves after arriving at the club from Valencia's U19 side, but he made just one senior appearance before leaving for Famalicao.

After a one-year spell at Famalicao, he joined Sporting in 2020 and has gone from strength to strength since then.

What clubs are interested in Pedro Goncalves?

Goncalves has been heavily linked with a move away from Sporting in recent years, with Liverpool among the clubs tracking his progress. He is one of several Sporting players of interest to the Liverpool hierarchy, who are considering him as a possible new arrival.

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Aston Villa, West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen are also keen on Goncalves.