Portugal has, in the past, provided the Premier League some top class talent all around the pitch. But the amount of quality in the country is only getting better with a number of youngsters now starting to impress their respective teams. One such player who has clubs like Liverpool and Chelsea fighting for him is Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves. The 19-year old was a part of the EURO16 success with his national and is now one of the most exciting youngsters around in world football. So here a peek into the scout report of the 19-year old who is attracting interests from top clubs in Europe.
Born in Mozelos (Santa Maria da Feira), Aveiro District, Neves joined FC Porto’s youth system at the age of eight. He was loaned out to Padroense for a year in 2012 but has been at the club ever since. In 2014, at the age of 17, Neves made his professional debut for FC Porto in a 2–0 home win against C.S. Marítimo and became the youngest player in the club’s history to score a goal in the competition. He has ever since been an integral part of the squad, making 50 appearances till date and has also got himself into the national side. He has made a couple of appearances for Portugal and is expected to do great things for the country in years to come.
Packed with technical skill and ability with the ball, Neves is a top class midfielder who has already shown maturity in an important position on the field. Already compared to the likes of Pirlo, the 19-year old is a deep-lying midfielder who loves to provide cover for his back four. But more importantly, his concentration and ability find his man with the ball at his feet make him an exciting player. Gifted with a lot of skill and technique with the ball, he has also acquired some astute footballing knowledge that makes him a top class midfielder in Europe already.
He is an excellent passer with a wide range of passing and has the ability to dictate the pace of the play from midfield for his side. He does not have the shooting power of Lampard nor will he make late booming runs like Gerrard, but his ability with the ball allow him to be equally effective. He creates loads of chances sitting deep and has become an important player for Porto in recent times.
Like most players his age, Neves is not the strongest player around and is at times not good enough to provide cover for the back four. He is an honest defender who does not give up, but his game is built around having the ball at his feet and he is nothing special without it. In due time, he will learn to effect the game without the ball but at the moment, he is at times a liability in the midfield against teams that attack alot.
He is fast becoming a mainstay for club and country in the midfield and is growing on to become one of the most attractive players in Europe. At 19, he will only get better and playing in his home country with the best club in the domestic league, will help him realize his potential. The interests shown from the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea does not come as a surprise but at his age, Neves is better off staying in Portugal and working on his overall game before making a move to a top class European club.