The Premier League giants, Liverpool, and Manchester United have been handed a huge blow in their pursuit for Pedro Goncalves. Pedro has played a huge role in Sporting Lisbon’s journey to the Primeira Liga title this season. His form had attracted many clubs for a big-money move, which now looks difficult.
Pedro Goncalves had a very nomadic youth career. He started his journey at the place he was born, for a club named Vidago. A couple of years later, he joined another Portuguese club called Chaves. After a similar span, he moved to a first division club, Braga, and played the most duration there.
5 years later, he had another shift in the country when he joined the La Liga outfit, Valencia. That also lasted only 2 years as he made another trip and joined the Premier League side, Wolverhampton Wanderers. This club was famous for recruiting mostly Portuguese players.
However, he was one of the unlucky ones as he didn’t have a future at the club. After passing the club’s youth system, he was promoted to the first team. But in the 2 years, he spent whilst the club got promoted from the Championship and played a whole season in the Premier League, Pedro featured in only one match, coming off the bench.
In 2019, he returned to Portugal, joining the newly-promoted newly promoted F.C. Famalicao. He soon became a regular starter and went on to feature in 40 matches that season. However, he achieved his name when he started playing for Sporting this season.
He was in red-hot form as he was scoring goals day in and out. By the end of the season, he scored 23 goals in 32 games as a midfielder, making him the League’s top scorer and winning the League title in the process.
Pedro Goncalves likely to stay amidst interests from Liverpool and United:
Pedro Goncalves’ form has reminded everyone of another player who played for the same club. Bruno Fernandes made a move after impressing everyone with a similar performance. Pedro’s form has attracted the Premier League giants and they were monitoring his situation in a bid to land him soon.
However, that interest looks to have receded after the latest updates. According to a Portuguese news outlet, Sporting are ready to offer their star player a new improved contract to ward off suitors as well as retain him for the next season as they will be featuring in the Champions League.
Along with the new contract, they are planning to increase his release clause to £69 million. If Pedro Goncalves is to accept the new terms, any clubs wanting him would have to wait till 2022, as that is when the release clause will be getting activated.
Manchester United were lucky enough to land Bruno Fernandes. They had stalled his welcoming because of which Tottenham were close to getting him. But United got him and he has turned the club upside down. United are where they are only because of him.
He has won his second Sir Matt Busby’s Player of the Year Award and also broke Frank Lampard’s record this season. As he has already cemented his spot, bringing Pedro would be pointless. Donny Van de Beek is struggling to get time on the field and Pedro’s arrival would make things even complicated.
His future at Liverpool would also be doubtful. Klopp uses a formation that doesn’t require an attacking midfielder. But Pedro can adapt as a winger. However, he would have to compete with a much-experienced Salah. Unless and until Klopp changes his formation or sells Salah, neither of them can be a proper match.
