Arsenal have reportedly sent scouts to Portugal to watch Benfica winger Goncalo Guedes.
Portuguese Outlet O Jogo report that Benfica winger Goncalo Guedes has attracted the interest of Premier League side Arsenal. The report says that Arsenal have sent their scouts to watch the 19-year-old and were in attendance during Benfica’s friendly with Torino on Wednesday. The report, however, claims that the Londoners were not the only club with scouts watching the Portuguese youngster, as Braga and CSKA Moscow also had their representatives keeping a keen eye on the teenager.
Goncalo Guedes enjoyed a breakthrough season with Benfica last season, making 27 appearances and scoring four goals. The winger became the youngest Portuguese ever to score in the group stages of the Champions League in September, and performed admirably in domestic competitions as Benfica completed the domestic double last season. The 19-year-old’s impressive form saw him make his senior international debut for the Seleccao in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Russia in Krasnodar in November 2015.
The youngster was hailed as the next Cristiano Ronaldo at the mere age of 17 after his dazzling performances in the 2013-14 UEFA Youth League final against Barcelona’s youth squad. The player was linked to Arsenal back then too, along with the likes of Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The player has since evolved into the speedster he is at the present and has firmly established himself in the senior squad at Benfica, progressing through their academic ranks. Arsene Wenger had previously expressed his disappointment on missing out on superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who later joined Manchester United and has gonr on to become one of the best players in the world. Wenger would not want a repeat of that scenario.
Arsenal may actually be in need of a winger in the first-team squad. The Londoners have only one world-class winger in Alexis Sanchez, with Theo Walcott mostly spending his time on the sidelines due to injuries. Arsenal have been long linked with Leicester City superstar Riyad Mahrez and have been reportedly close to completing the signing of the Algerian winger within the next 48 hours. If Arsene Wenger were to miss out Riyad Mahrez, the Frenchman may actually try to follow up his interest in the 19-year-old wonder kid with a real offer on the table.
